"When you are rouged and powdered, you"ll be as bold as a page."
"I shall be execrable."
"We"ll make him pay us a high price, and everybody will think we are superb."
"But----"
"Morbleu! there"s enough _buts_. Just remember that it"s only for three or four days; it"s a little joke that will have no unpleasant consequences, and will give us the means of waiting for another remittance. Furthermore, when a man like myself, a Polish n.o.bleman, an elector palatine, decides to do such a thing, I consider it very strange that a mere plebeian should presume to remonstrate with him. You will act with me, or I abandon you to the wrath of the Comte de Montreville, whose son you will never be able to find without a.s.sistance."
"I"ll do it, monsieur le baron."
"That"s very lucky for you!"
During this little dialogue, Monsieur Floridor had rushed into the next house, where the wigmaker lived, to tell him that two great actors, whose names he did not know as yet, but who were sure to be overflowing with talent, because they were travelling incognito, had arrived at the Soleil d"Or, and that he proposed to do his utmost to engage them to appear two or three times in the town. The wigmaker abandoned the town clerk"s wife"s hair, which he was engaged in curling, and hurried off to carry the news to all his customers; the customers told their neighbors, and the word was pa.s.sed from house to house, as in the game of scandal.
The town of Voreppe being rather small, all the townspeople knew before sundown that they had within their walls two dramatic geniuses who were travelling incognito.
Monsieur Floridor returned, and they took their places at the table.
Dubourg seated Menard at his side, so that he could whisper his replies to him, and the manager took his seat on Dubourg"s other side. All the other guests treated the travellers with marked consideration, because they saw that Floridor did, and because we often do what we see others do, without very well knowing why.
The little manager talked incessantly, Dubourg from time to time declaimed such pa.s.sages as came to his mind, and Menard concentrated his attention upon his plate.
"May I not know," said Floridor, "with whom I have the honor of supping?"
"We did not intend to make ourselves known," said Dubourg; "but, after the flattering attentions with which you have honored us, it is difficult to conceal anything from you. You see in us the two first actors of Cracow, who are taking advantage of a furlough to travel in France and perfect ourselves in the French tongue, in which all our plays are given in Poland; so that our theatre is frequented only by the most distinguished people of the country--like the Bouffons in Paris."
"I understand, I understand! and what parts do you play?"
"Everything, from pantomime to grand opera. My comrade here, Wolowitz, is the Fleury of Poland, and I make bold to say that I am the Talma. Ah!
if you should see us together in _Les Cha.s.seurs et la Laitiere_! but you don"t give opera here, do you?"
"Pardon me: opera-comique, without music, to be sure, because we have no orchestra as yet; but if you will deign to accede to our prayers, how happy our town will be to see two such artists as you!"
"It is true that we are terribly popular in Poland! Why, when we play anywhere, they always throw us something--it never fails.--Do you remember Smolensk, Wolowitz? We had given _Le Deserteur_ and _Le Chien de Montargis_. You played the a.s.sa.s.sin. I say, do you remember the sensation we produced there?"
Wolowitz did not reply, because he had not yet learned his name; but Dubourg kicked him, under the table, and made him raise his head, whereupon he replied, still eating:
"Yes, monsieur le baron."
"You see, he continues to call me the _baron_," said Dubourg; "he imagines he is still on the stage."
Another kick informed Menard that he had made a blunder, and he muttered in Dubourg"s ear:
"Tell me your name, then; you can"t expect me to guess it."
"When people saw on the bill-board: _Boleslas and Wolowitz_," continued Dubourg, with a glance at Menard, "the theatre was always crowded to suffocation, and we staggered under the wreaths that were thrown to us."
"Oh! you"ll get some here," said Floridor; "we will throw "em to you.
I"ve had a dozen made on purpose to have thrown on my actors" heads. You shall have verses too--quatrains; I"ve got all those things."
"You are right; they always have a good effect, they flatter the artist and dazzle the audience."
"Ah! Monsieur Boleslas, may I hope that you and your companion will consent to give us a few performances?"
Dubourg did not consent at once; they had made a vow, he said, not to act in any French theatre. Floridor urged them, implored them, and ordered a fresh bottle of wine. Menard was touched by the supper and the little manager"s compliments, and when they left the table he was ready to promise to play any part he was asked to take; but Dubourg did not yield so readily, because he desired to obtain a high price. Floridor did not leave his side, he was ready to kneel at his feet; he would make any sacrifice, he said, to open his theatre with such notable artists, and he finally offered them a hundred francs for four performances, which was a fabulous sum for acting in a stable. Dubourg surrendered, declaring that he did it solely to oblige him.
The little man was beside himself with joy; he instantly prepared three posters, which would be displayed in the town on the morrow, announcing to the people thereof that Messieurs Boleslas and Wolowitz, famous Polish actors, were to appear at their theatre.
"We should like to open with _Phedre_ or _Le Devin du Village_," said Floridor.
"Oh! bless my soul! it"s a matter of indifference to us," replied Dubourg; "whatever you choose."
"Then we will begin with that."
"Very well, I will do Phedre."
"Phedre? do you mean to say that you play female parts too?"
"Oh, no! I meant Hippolyte. Wolowitz will make a glorious Thesee."
"Very good. For the _Devin_ I only need a Colin."
"I"ll undertake it. In four days we will be ready."
"Four days--that"s rather too long."
"We must have a little rest."
"All right, four days it is. You will be announced to-morrow. Have you any wardrobe?"
"No; for we had no idea of acting."
"No matter; I will see that you have costumes."
With that, Floridor left our friends, and they went to bed, Dubourg laughing over this latest adventure, and Menard murmuring:
"If monsieur le baron does it, why shouldn"t I do it?"
When he woke the next morning, poor Menard could not believe that he was really going to play Thesee; but Dubourg appeared, book in hand, and gave him his role, which the little manager had already sent, with the information that there would be a rehearsal at noon.
"Bah!" said Dubourg; "there aren"t a hundred lines in your part. What"s that to you, who have learned Horace and Virgil and so many other authors by heart?"
"That"s all very well; but I have pa.s.sed my life learning them, while I have only three days to commit this to memory."
"Don"t be afraid, I"ll answer for everything; besides, there"s a prompter."
"That"s true; I must depend on him."
"As long as you know your first speech, that"s all that"s necessary."