Note: Translated by Stephen Gray. This translation begins: ""Keep talking, young man. I'm listening." "Sir, I have the honour of asking for the hand of Miss Watkins, your daughter." "The hand of Alice..." "Yes, sir. My request seems to have taken you by surprise. But please excuse me if I don't grasp why you could find it so daring. I am twenty-six. I am called Cyprien Méré. I am a mining engineer and I left the Polytechnic second in my year. My family is honourable and much respected, even though we aren't rich.""