They were now in the company of
two damsels in startling toilettes, with exceedingly dishevelled
yellow hair, who moved restlessly about, and giggled and stared,
and tried in every possible way to attract attention. And their
stratagem succeeded. However, this did not seem to please the
Viscount de Coralth, who kept himself as far back in the shade as
he possibly could. But young Wilkie was evidently delighted, and
seemed manifestly proud of the attention which the public was
compelled to bestow upon his box. He offered himself as much as
possible to the gaze of the audience; moved about, leaned forward,
and made himself fully as conspicuous as his fair companions.
Less than ever did Chupin now forgive Wilkie for the insult he had
cast in the face of Madame Lia d'Argeles, who was probably his
mother.
As for the play, M. Fortunat's emissary did not hear twenty words
of it. He was so overcome with fatigue that he soon fell asleep.
The noise and bustle of each entr'acte aroused him a little, but
he did not thoroughly wake up until the close of the performance.
His "customers" were still in their box, and M. Wilkie was
gallantly wrapping the ladies in their cloaks and shawls. In the
vestibule, he and M. de Coralth were joined by several other young
men, and the whole party adjourned to a neighboring cafe. "These
people are certainly afflicted with an unquenchable thirst,"
growled Chupin. "I wonder if this is their everyday life?"
He, too, was thirsty after his hastily eaten dinner; and necessity
prevailing over economy, he seated himself at a table outside the
cafe, and called for a glass of beer, in which he moistened his
parched lips with a sigh of intense satisfaction.
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