"Garnier, please give me my manuscript; there's a good fellow."
The prompter handed me the manuscript; and Firmin watched me take it, astonished. Mademoiselle Mars was waiting all this time until I was free.
"Well, my good fellow," she said in the dry tone she always used when she wished to prepare an author for something disagreeable, "have you done talking with Firmin? And have you a word left for anybody else?"
"Oh madame!" said Firmin, "you had but to speak; I am not in the habit of taking your authors away from you."
"As far as parts such as this man gives me are concerned, you can take him away from me as much as you like."
"Good!" I said,—"this sounds promising!"
Then, going up to Mademoiselle Mars—
"Madame," I said to her, "I am at your service."
"Ah! that is fortunate! Do you know what I am going to tell you?"
"No, madame, I do not know; but if you will be so good as to inform me, I shall."