"This is blackguard language! Turn him out!"
"They extract taxes from us to pay for licentiousness! Thus, the high salaries paid to actors——"
"Help!" cried Pellerin.
He leaped from the rostrum, pushed everybody aside, and declaring that he regarded such stupid accusations with disgust, expatiated on the civilising mission of the player. Inasmuch as the theatre was the focus of national education, he would record his vote for the reform of the theatre; and to begin with, no more managements, no more privileges!
"Yes; of any sort!"
The actor's performance excited the audience, and people moved backwards and forwards knocking each other down.
"No more academies! No more institutes!"
"No missions!"
"No more bachelorships! Down with University degrees!"
"Let us preserve them," said Sénécal; "but let them be conferred by universal suffrage, by the people, the only true judge!"