Madame Guéret. Don't make fun of me, please. What we are doing is simply madness. Madness, do you hear? And it was the day before yesterday—only the day before yesterday—we heard the news.
Guéret. We—
Madame Guéret [Who has seen Lucienne come in] Hush!
Lucienne comes in, a girl of twenty, dressed as Barberine from Musset's play; then Maud, Nadia, and Antoinette [eighteen to twenty-two], dressed as followers of the queen. Lucienne goes to the piano, takes a piece of music, and comes to Madame Guéret.
Lucienne. You'll help me along, won't you, dear Madame Guéret? You'll give me my note when it comes to "Voyez vous pas que la nuit est profonde"?
Madame Guéret. Now don't be nervous.
Maud [coming in] We're ready.
Antoinette. If the third act only goes as well as the first two—
Maud. We'll listen until we have to go on.
Antoinette. Won't you come with us, Madame?