RET. What we're doing. What _are_ we doing?

GUERET. We're giving a performance of _Barberine_ for the amusement of
our friends. There's nothing very extraordinary in that.

MADAME GUERET. Don't make fun of me, please. What we are doing is simply
madness. Madness, do you hear? And it was the day before yesterday--only
the day before yesterday--we heard the news.

GUERET. We--

MADAME GUERET [_Who has seen Lucienne come in_] Hush!

_Lucienne comes in, a girl of twenty, dressed as Barberine from Musset's
play; then Maud, Nadia, and Antoinette [eighteen to twenty-two], dressed
as followers of the queen. Lucienne goes to the piano, takes a piece of
music, and comes to Madame Gueret._

LUCIENNE. You'll help me along, won't you, dear Madame Gueret? You'll
give me my note when it comes to "Voyez vous pas que la nuit est
profonde"?

MADAME GUERET. Now don't be nervous.

MAUD [_coming in_] We're ready.

ANTOINETTE. If the third act only goes as well as the first two--

MAUD. We'll listen until we have to go on.

ANTOINETTE. Won't you come with us, Madame?

MADAME GUERET. No, I can't. I've had to undertake the noises behind the
scenes. _That_ job might have been given to someone else, I think.

LUCIENNE. Oh, Madame, please don't be angry with us. Madame Chain let us
know too late. And you're helping us so much.

MADAME GUERET. Well, I've invited the people, and I suppose I must
entertain them. As I gave in to Therese about getting up this play, I
don't want to do anything to spoil the evening.

LUCIENNE. How pretty she is as Kalekairi.

MADAME GUERET. You don't think people are shocked by her frock?

LUCIENNE. Oh, Madame!

MADAME GUERET. Well!

LUCIENNE. I shall have to go in a moment. Therese has come out; I can
hear her sequins rattling.

MADAME GUERET. Yes; so can I. But Rene will let us know. Never mind.

_She goes to the piano. Rene appears at the door at the back._

RENE. Are you ready, Lucienne?

LUCIENNE. Yes.

RENE. You've only two lines to say.

LUCIENNE. Only one. [_She speaks low to Rene_] No end of a success,
wasn't it, for your Therese?

RENE [_low_] Wasn't it? I _am_ so happy, Lucienne. I love her so.

LUCIENNE. Listen. That's for me, I think.

RENE. Yes, that's for you. Wait. [_He goes to the door at the back,
listens, and returns_] Come. Turn this way so as to make it sound as if
you were at a distance. Now then.

_Madame Gueret accompanies Lucienne on the piano._

LUCIENNE