Page:The Bohemians of the Latin Quarter.djvu/280

ficiaire read on the countenances of her lady friends, the delight they felt at seeing the house so poorly filled. She even heard an actress of her acquaintance say to another, as she pointed to the empty boxes:

“Poor Dolores, she has only planted one stage box.”

“True, the boxes are scarcely occupied,” was the rejoinder.

“The stalls, too, are empty.”

“Well, when they see her name on the bill, it acts on the house like an air pump.”

“Hence, what an idea to put up the price of the seats!”

“A fine benefit. I will bet that the takings would not fill a money-box or the foot of a stocking.”

“Ah! there she is in her famous red velvet costume.”

“She looks like a lobster.”

“How much did you make out of your last benefit?” said another actress to her companion.

“The house was full, my dear, and it was a first night; chairs in the aisle were worth a louis. But I only got six francs; my milliner had all the rest. If I was not afraid of chilblains, I would go to Saint Petershurg.”

“What, you are not yet thirty, and are already thinking of doing your Russia?”

“What would you have?” said the other, and she added, “and you, is your benefit soon coming on?”

“In a fortnight, I have already three thousand francs’ worth of tickets taken, without counting my young fellows from Saint Cyr.”

“Hello, the stalls are going out.”

“It is because Dolores is singing.”

In fact, Dolores, as red in the face as her costume, was warbling her verses with a vinegary voice. Just as she was getting through it with difficulty, two bouquets fell at her