The merchant, who was highly flattered to be looked upon as a rake, smiled and rubbed his hands as he replied:
"No, really! you have heard of me at the Opéra?—and in the wings? But I have never been there; Madame Plays wouldn't allow it."
"I believe you, and she is right. But one may know some of these theatrical ladies without going there."
"No, no, I assure you! But, wait; I believe that a lady did ask me one day to pay a draft that had fifteen days to run, on the plea that she had to take a little journey; but I believe she told me she was a marcheuse."[L]
"You see! you acknowledge the corn, rake that you are!"
"What? Why, it never occurred to me that that lady was on the stage. She said she was a marcheuse, and I understood that she liked to take long walks."
"Oh! you joker! play the innocent, if you will; but you know perfectly well that that's what they call the supernumeraries at the Opéra."
"I give you my word that I had no idea of it. What do you say? there are marcheuses there?"
"Yes, monsieur; and they are a very popular class of lorettes."
"Then there ought to be trotteuses[M] there, too."