Then dragging himself unsteadily along
in his greatcoat, he took his departure, grumbling and looking as
annoyed as a man who has been rudely disturbed.
"You were very amiable in your last notice," continued Fontan,
addressing Fauchery. "Only why do you say that comedians are vain?"
"Yes, my little man, why d'you say that?" shouted Mignon, bringing down
his huge hands on the journalist's slender shoulders with such force as
almost to double him up.
Prulliere and Clarisse refrained from laughing aloud. For some time past
the whole company had been deriving amusement from a comedy which was
going on in the wings. Mignon, rendered frantic by his wife's caprice
and annoyed at the thought that this man Fauchery brought nothing but a
certain doubtful notoriety to his household, had conceived the idea of
revenging himself on the journalist by overwhelming him with tokens of
friendship. Every evening, therefore, when he met him behind scenes he
would shower friendly slaps on his back and shoulders, as though fairly
carried away by an outburst of tenderness, and Fauchery, who was a
frail, small man in comparison with such a giant, was fain to take the
raps with a strained smile in order not to quarrel with Rose's husband.
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