The great day arrived. The ladies rose early; the thought of their costumes had kept them awake. The men, who are sometimes as coquettish as the ladies, were all absorbed by their costumes or their rôles. I was less engrossed by the great affair of the evening, because my passion for Madame de Marsan, intensified by the obstacles it had encountered, occupied my thoughts quite as much as the play. But the busiest of all was Raymond. He was out of bed at daybreak. He sought out the two little peasants, and tried to make them move gracefully, and to teach them a little stage business, while he told them what they would have to do in the evening. The children stared at him, jumped into the air when he told them to dance, fell on the ground when he tried to make them stand on one leg, and began to cry when he told them to smile. My neighbor took them to the gardener, now transformed into a scene shifter, and repeated the lesson to him. The gardener was a dull-witted lout, who knew nothing at all, but who chose to pretend to understand instantly whatever was said to him. "Do you know what you have to do to-night, my friend?" Raymond asked him. "Yes, monsieur." "First, the wreath of flowers----" "Yes, monsieur." "Which you are to lower on Fanchon's head." "Fanchon's--yes, monsieur." "You are to fasten it to a cord hanging from the beam; do you know whether there is one?" "Oh! yes, monsieur; there was one for that gentleman with the syringes they acted the last time, that was so funny! Monsieur Pourceau--Pourceau--the man who wouldn't take physic before people, you know." "Just so, my man, just so.--Well, when the wreath is all fixed, you must make a dozen fresh, pretty bouquets, and give them to these children, who will be dressed as Cupids." "Say! I know 'em; they're Madeleine's boys." "Pay attention to what I say." "Yes, monsieur." "When they have the bouquets, you'll take them to the prompter's box." "Yes, monsieur, to the box, I understand." "And they are to go out on the stage when I clap twice with my hands." "Yes, monsieur, with your hands." "Don't forget anything, my friend." "No, monsieur. Oh! you needn't be afraid; I'm used to play-acting here!"