“Did not I tell you that was the reason of our visit?” he replied. I myself was rather afraid that this project would fall through. “But time is up, you must be on the stage when the curtain rises,” I said. “Good-bye, mademoiselle.” “No,” he continued, “good-bye till presently. Is it not so, Camille?” “Certainly,” she said with a laugh. I saw by her eyes that she was experiencing a little emotion. “Allow me to say a word to your friend?” she added turning to me. “Good!” I thought. “She is going to reproach him, and she will be right.” I fell into a melancholy reverie which contrasted with the place where I was, at least as much as did the delicate sensibility revealed by each of the young actress’ gestures and words. We had only been with her a quarter of an hour, and in that time the appearance of the corridor had changed. Feverish haste now betokened the approaching rise of the curtain and the fear of being too late. The call-boy went along knocking at a door here and there. Visitors hurriedly departed. The game of bezique went on in a neighbouring dressing-room, that of an actress who only appeared in the last act. “Here I am,” Jacques said, interrupting my meditation by touching me on the shoulder, “let us get back to our box at once. If Camille does not see me when she appears on the stage, she will look for me in Madam de Bonnivet’s box and lose her power.” “Why do you amuse yourself by exciting her jealousy?” I replied. “How can you be so hardhearted? You pained her just now. She was angry.” “Angry?” he cried, “angry? Why she has just asked me to see her home to-night. Her mother is not coming for her. Angry? Why women love teasing. It troubles them at first, but then they are like all vicious animals, they can only be subdued by hurting them. I want you now to see her rival. About the middle of the act Favier goes off the stage, and I will go to Madam de Bonnivet’s box and ask permission to present you. You shall see what a different woman she is.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER III