“Yes—in short, a carriage. That is very well for a young man of twenty-three. But when I told him that we were going to pay a visit to such agreeable people, he no longer hesitated to accompany us. Wife, this is Monsieur Roquencourt, who, as I was saying just now, used to act so well! Dieu! how you did make me laugh when you recited Mascarille!”
Monsieur Roquencourt seemed at first rather surprised to find so large a party, brought by a man whom he had seen but once; but the instant that the subject of acting was mentioned, his features dilated, his eyes gleamed, and he exclaimed:
“Yes, pardieu! I should say that I have acted! and before Dugazon, Larive and many others!”
“That is what I told my wife and Monsieur Mouillé, that you acted before Dugazon. My dear, monsieur acted before Dugazon!”
“Mascarille is a fine part, very long; but, although I was very good in it, especially when I said: ‘Vivat Mascarillus, fourbum imperator——’”
“Ah! charming! delightful! isn’t it, wife? What did I tell you? Fourbum imperator!—Stop your noise, children!”
“I had other parts that I preferred. First of all, Figaro. Ah! Figaro! the costume is so pretty, and it was so becoming to me!”
“Yes, the costume must have been very becoming to you. Monsieur Mouillé, didn’t you disguise yourself as Figaro once, to go to a magnificent ball given by a contractor?”
“No, monsieur, I went as Pinçon, in Je fais mes Farces.”
“Oh! that is different.”