als; Etienne
enjoyed the use of all these fine things. He was standing just now on
the hearthrug with his back to the fire, as if he were the master of the
house, chatting with the manager, who was congratulating du Bruel.

"Copy, copy!" called Finot, coming into the room. "There is nothing in
the box; the printers are setting up my article, and they will soon have
finished."

"We will manage," said Etienne. "There is a fire burning in Florine's
boudoir; there is a table there; and if M. Matifat will find us paper
and ink, we will knock off the newspaper while Florine and Coralie are
dressing."

Cardot, Camusot, and Matifat disappeared in search of quills, penknives,
and everything necessary. Suddenly the door was flung open, and Tullia,
one of the prettiest opera-dancers of the day, dashed into the room.

"They agree to take the hundred copies, dear boy!" she cried, addressing
Finot; "they won't cost the management anything, for the chorus and the
orchestra and the _corps de ballet_ are to take them whether they like
it or not; but your paper is so clever that nobody will grumble. And
you are going to have your boxes. Here is the subscription for the first
quarter," she continued, holding out a couple of banknotes; "so don't
cut me up!"

"It is all over with me!" groaned Finot; "I must suppress my abominable
diatribe, and I haven't another notion in my head."

"What a happy inspiration, divine Lais!" exclaimed Blondet, who had
followed the lady upstairs and brought Nathan, Vernou and Claude Vignon
with him. "Stop to supper, there is a dear, or I will crush thee,
butterfly as thou art. There will be no professional jealousies, as you
are a dancer; and as to beauty, you have all of you too much sense to
show jealousy in public."

"Oh dear!" cried Finot, "Nathan, Blondet, du Bruel, help friends! I want
five columns."

"I can make two of the play," said Lucien.

"I have enough for one," added Lousteau.

"Very well; Nathan, Vernou, and du Bruel will make the jokes at the
end; and Blondet, good fellow, surely will vouchsafe a couple of short
columns for the first sheet. I will run round to the printer. It is
lucky that you brought your carriage, Tullia."

"Yes, but the Duke is waiting below in it, and he has a German Minister
with him."

"Ask the Duke and the Minister to come up," said Nathan.

"A German? They are the ones to drink, and they listen too; he shall
hear some astonishing things to send home to h