"Good heavens! What am I permitted to say?"
He pondered. "'To monsieur Paul Manesse: Monsieur——' Has monsieur written 'Monsieur'?"
"Yes, yes; go on!"
"'I am now convinced that you can act. I hereby engage you, at the trifling salary of two hundred and fifty francs a week, for prominent parts in my next three productions at the Théâtre Suprême.'"
The silence was sensational.
"Who the devil are you?" I stuttered, when I found my voice.
"Paul Manesse, monsieur," he told me—"your new comedian, if you sign."
I signed. You have heard how we boomed Omphale and I found a star! That jolly little Manesse girl has a rich papa to-day.