'Vous êtes, mon lion, superbe et généreux!'"
And the rehearsal would be resumed.
But, the next day, when Mademoiselle Mars reached the same place, she stopped as on the day before and, as on the day before, she approached the footlights, again going through the pretence of looking for the author with her hands shading her eyes.
"M. Hugo?" she would say in her harsh voice, the voice of Mademoiselle Mars and not of Célimène. "Is M. Hugo there?"
"Here I am, madame," Hugo would reply with the same placidity.
"Oh! that is all right. I am glad you are here."
"I had the honour of presenting you my compliments before the rehearsal, madame."
"True.... Well, have you thought over it?"
"Over what, madame?"
"Over what I said to you yesterday."