Henry
Tss! [All throw away their cigars and cigarettes, like school boys who are caught, and make way for Zinida, who enters with He.]
Zinida
What are you doing here, gentlemen? Your place is at the entrance.
Henry
[With a respectful smile]: We are here just for a minute, Madame Zinida. We are going. What a successful evening! And what a glory for Papa Briquet!
Zinida
Yes. Go, and please don't leave your places. [They go. Zinida pulls a drawer out of the desk, and puts in some papers. She is in her lion tamer's costume.] He, what were you doing near my lions? You frightened me.
He
Why, Duchess, I merely wanted to hear what the beasts were saying about the benefit performance. They are pacing in their cages, and growling.