I was quite fresh to Paris. I did not know all the various theatre customs. I went along by the side of an enormous queue enclosed in barriers, not daring even to ask where the entrance-money was taken. One of the _habitués_ in the queue no doubt perceived my confusion, for he called out to me--
I turned round, wondering if he were addressing me.
"Yes ... you, monsieur," continued the habitué, "you with the frizzy locks ... do you want a place?"
"Yes. If you put yourself at the bottom of this queue, you will never get in to-night. Five hundred people will be turned away."
This was Hebrew to me. Of his language I only gathered that five hundred folk would be turned away and that I should be one of the number.
"Come, would you really like my place?" continued the habitué.
Now it was the habitué who did not understand.
"Well," I went on, "shall I have a good place?"
I reflected within myself that twenty sous to sit where I liked was not dear. I drew twenty sous from my pocket and gave them to the _habitué_, who immediately, with an agility that proved he was well accustomed to this exercise, climbed up the rails of the barrier, got over it and alighted by my side.
"Well," I said, "now where is your place?"
"Take it, ... but look sharp; for, if they push up, you will lose it."
At the same moment light broke in on my mind: "Those people, inside that barrier, have no doubt taken and paid for their places in advance, and it is in order to keep them they are penned in like that."
"Ah! good, I see!" I replied; and I strode over the barrier in my turn, the reverse way; so that, contrary to the action of my place-seller, who had come without from within, I went from the outside within. I did not understand matters at all. After a second, there was a movement forward. They were just opening the offices. I was carried forward with the crowd, and ten minutes later, I found myself in front of the grating.
"Well, monsieur, aren't you going to take your ticket?" asked my neighbour.
"Of course, your ticket!" answered someone just behind me. "If you aren't going to take your ticket, at least allow us to take ours."
And a light thrust showed the desire of those behind me to have their turn.
"But," I said, "surely I have bought my place ...?"