_Tables are garnished with cakes and eatables. Other tables, with chairs around, are prepared for customers. A small table in a corner is covered with papers. Before it is seated Ragueneau, who is writing, as the curtain rises._ _SCENE I._ RAGUENEAU, PASTRY-COOKS, _then_ LISE. RAGUENEAU _is writing and counts on his fingers_. FIRST PASTRY-COOK (_bearing a dish_). Candied fruits! SECOND PASTRY-COOK (_with another dish_). Pie! THIRD PASTRY-COOK (_with a roast_). Peacock! FOURTH PASTRY-COOK (_with a tray_). Cakes! FIFTH PASTRY-COOK (_with an earthen bowl_). Stewed beef! RAGUENEAU (_stops writing and looks up_). The copper's yellow sheen is silvered by the dawn[12] Now smother, Ragueneau, the godly notes you love! Sweet poesy must wait--just now is cooking time! (_He rises. To one of the cooks_). Look here! Your sauce is thick, and you must lengthen it. COOK. How much? RAGUENEAU. Three feet. (_Passes on._) O Muse, keep thou aloof, or else your pleading eyes Will suffer from the glare of vulgar fires here! (_to one of the pastry-cooks_). These loaves are badly set, the split should not be thus, Cesuras should be placed between the hemstitches. (_to another, pointing to an unfinished meat-pie_). This palace made of crust is fine, but needs a roof. (_to an apprentice boy who, seated on the floor, is running a fowl on a spit_). The spit is long enough for chickens, turkeys, all, But alternate, my boy, and imitate Malherbe: His lines the longest were relieved by shorter ones. Do you the same, prepare real stanzas on the spit! ANOTHER APPRENTICE (_carrying a tray over which is a large napkin_). Dear Master, this for you was in the oven cooked. We wish to please you, Sir! RAGUENEAU. A lyre! THE APPRENTICE. Made of paste! RAGUENEAU (_moved_). Of candied fruits besides! And strings of sugar, too! THE APPRENTICE. To give a sweeter tone! RAGUENEAU (_handing him some money_). It's fine; go drink my health (_seeing Lise, as she enters_). My wife! Be silent--skip! (_to Lise, showing her the lyre_). Fine work! LISE. Ridiculous! (_She lays on the counter a bundle of paper bags._) RAGUENEAU. Some bags; I thank you, dear.