"What in the devil can he be doing at the inn?" said Dubourg; "do you suppose he can't put on his costume?"
"Impossible!" said the manager; "I sent him a superb yellow tunic, and trousers of the same stuff; for his diadem he has a turban of the same color, that I use in Mahomet."
"Oho! so Thésée will be all yellow, eh?"
"That's traditional, and tradition is never wrong. But let's go on with the second act; we must hope that he will turn up."
They began the second act, which did not go so well as the first. Aricie, in a moment of passion, spat her tobacco into Hippolyte's face, whereupon the latter kicked her viciously just as her lover said to her:
"'Modérez des bontés dont l'excès m'embarrasse!'"[E]
[E] Be not so kind to me; your excessive kindness embarrasses me.
"That will teach you to be more careful," said Dubourg.
"If I wasn't a woman, I'd answer you in another way," retorted the carpenter, shaking his fist at him.
"I advise you to keep quiet!"