visions):
By coming early, one can eat in comfort.

A BURGHER (conducting his son):
Let us sit here, son.

A CARD-PLAYER:
Triple ace!

A MAN (taking a bottle from under his cloak,
and also seating himself on the floor):
A tippler may well quaff his Burgundy
(he drinks):
in the Burgundy Hotel!

THE BURGHER (to his son):
'Faith! A man might think he had fallen in a bad house here!
(He points with his cane to the drunkard):
What with topers!
(One of the fencers in breaking off, jostles him):
brawlers!
(He stumbles into the midst of the card-players):
gamblers!

THE GUARDSMAN (behind him, still teasing the shop-girl):
Come, one kiss!

THE BURGHER (hurriedly pulling his son away):
By all the holies! And this, my boy, is the theater where they played
Rotrou erewhile.

THE YOUNG MAN:
Ay, and Corneille!

A TROOP OF PAGES (hand-in-hand, enter dancing the farandole, and singing):
Tra' a la, la, la, la, la, la, la, lere. . .

THE DOORKEEPER (sternly, to the pages):
You pages there, none of your tricks!. . .

FIRST PAGE (with an air of wounded dignity):
Oh, sir!--such a suspicion!. . .
(Briskly, to the second page, the moment the doorkeeper's back is turned):
Have you string?

THE SECOND:
Ay, and a fish-hook with it.

FIRST PAGE:
We can angle for wigs, then, up there i' th' gallery.

A PICKPOCKET (gathering about him some evil-looking youths):
Hark ye, young cut-purses, lend an ear, while I give you your first lesson
in thieving.

SECOND PAGE (calling up to others in the top galleries):
You there! Have you peashooters?

THIRD PAGE (from above):
Ay, have we, and peas withal!

(He blows, and peppers them with peas.)

THE YOUNG MAN (to his father):
What piece do they give us?

THE BURGHER:
'Clorise.'

THE YOUNG MAN:
Who may the author be?

THE BURGHER:
Master Balthazar Baro. It is a play!. . .

(He goes arm-in-arm with his son.)

THE PICKPOCKET (to his pupils):
Have a care, above all, of the lace knee-ruffles--cut them off!

A SPECTATOR (to another, showing him a corner in the gallery):
I was up there, the first night of the 'Cid.'

THE PICKPOCKET (making with his fingers the gesture of filching):
Thus for watches--

THE BURGHER (coming down again with his son):
Ah! You shall presently see some renowned actors. . .

THE PICKPOCKET (making the gestures of one who pulls something stealthily,
with little jerks):
Thus for