(_Christian nods assent. Lignière presents._) Baron de Neuvillette. (_General salutations._) THE AUDIENCE (_as the first chandelier goes up_). Ah!.... CUIGY (_to Brissaille, looking at Christian_). A beautiful head! FIRST MARQUIS (_who has overheard_). Oh! so, so!.... LIGNIÈRE (_presenting to Christian_). Mr. de Cuigy, Mr. de Brissaille. CHRISTIAN (_bowing_). Delighted! FIRST MARQUIS (_to second_). He is good looking, but not dressed according to the latest fashion. LIGNIÈRE (_to Cuigy_). Baron de Neuvillette has just arrived from Touraine. CHRISTIAN. Yes, I've been in Paris only a few days. To-morrow I join the guards, the Cadets. FIRST MARQUIS (_looking up to the boxes_). There is the wife of President Aubry. THE WAITING-GIRL. Oranges, milk .... THE VIOLINS (_tuning_). La, la, la, la, la. CUIGY (_to Christian, looking around_). Quite an assemblage! CHRISTIAN. Yes, indeed! FIRST MARQUIS. The cream of fashion. (_He seems to give the names of the different ladies who occupy the boxes, in full dress. Bows, nods, answers, smiles._) SECOND MARQUIS. Mesdames de Guéménée.... CUIGY. De Bois-Dauphin.... FIRST MARQUIS. Whom we loved .... BRISSAILLE. De Chavigny .... SECOND MARQUIS. For whom our hearts are toys! LIGNIÈRE. There is Monsieur de Corneille, just from Rouen. TRADESMAN'S SON (_to his father_). The Academy is here?.... TRADESMAN. I see several of its members. Here are Boudu, Boissat, Cureau de la Chambre, Porchères, Colomby, Bourzeys, Bourdon, Arbaud .... So many names that can never die! How grand! FIRST MARQUIS. Attention! here are our lovely "précieuses,"[3] they of wondrous names: Barthénoïde, Urimédonte, Cassandace, Félixérie .... SECOND MARQUIS. Delightful names! Marquis, you know them all? FIRST MARQUIS. I know them all, Marquis. LIGNIÈRE (_aside to Christian_). I came in to do you service. The lady comes not. So I return to my tavern. CHRISTIAN (_imploringly_). Do not. You, who in your songs depict both town and court, can tell me the name of one for whom I am dying of love. Remain! (_The violins begin to play._)