Morris tribune., 1880-07-22
Evaline is now armed from head I,

down the rue Leplc, crosses the exterior
boulevard, and passes along the rue
Pigallo and The Chaussee d'Antin, and
so arrives at the opera.
1t is quarter to O.. The little dancer
passed rapidly past the doorkeeper,
climbs up i've flights of stairs, and en-
tiers the ROOM where her companions of
the first quadrille are dressing. In five
minutes she had donned her class dress
low-cut chemissette with short sleeves,
muslin skirt rose-colored stockings and
satin slippers much worn; by way OF Or
nament she had ribbon round her neck.
blue sash, and hidden in her corset her
medals, her famous medals!
Evaline mounts two more flights of
stairs and arrives at the class room-a
large square room under the cupola of
the opera, with slightly sloping floor.
There is chair for the professor, a sec
ond chair for violin player: rails run
ming round the wall complete the furni-
ture of The room.
sin position, mesdemoiselles.
At this call of the Professor the little
dancer has gone and placed herself at
one of the rails, and, taking hold of it
frst with the left hand and then with the
right, she bends herself, stretches and
twists her body in all manner of ways,
placing her leg on the rall as high as her
shoulder, throwing it backward. swing
ing it forward-in short, disloeating her
self for twenty minutes in order to pre-
pare herself for the lesson properly, so
called. After these exercises, the Profess
sor summons the pupils to the. middle
of the classroom, and then the lesson
begins, and the girls go through the var
ious steps and movements-the develop
ments, the attitudes, the arabesques, the
relieves. the ports de bras, the fouettes, the
balconies, the temps de cuisse, the temps
de pirouette, the temps de pointe, the
arrangements de pieds, the pas de bour-
rec, the glissades, the assemblies, the
ietes, the pirouettes renversees, the cab.
roles. the entrachats and finally the en-
chainements, composed of all these steps.
This composes the lesson; but Evaline,
who wishes to be somebody, Dies not
content herself with that hard labor, ana
during the instants of respite granted by
the professor, she passes on to another
SSAlSS Va NAoAoSotApAS anu peeAAoi uAAo9@
tics.
The lesson is finished it is after eleven
o'clock. Evaline, painting and breath
less, returns to her dressing room so as to
change her linen, after which she takes
from her reticule the provisions that she
has brought with her and lays them on
the table, wnere sic proceeds to break
fast with her comrades. All the little
dancers have brought their breakfasts
with them, and the chattering and excla-
nations begin.
.'Oh, some bamr' NO, it is not ham
it is preserved beef" "Give me some"
"Whose got some salt?" "Agathe, give
me back my bread" 'Shut the win
dow!" who'll buy my radlshes?''
"Ah, ma chere Fanny has some chick,
ens!'' Then they exchanged treasures.
Evaline exchanges her sardines for some
fried potatoes and goes shares with Ma
Tie Bourgard to buy Pauline Arden;n S
radishes.
The rehearsal bell is ringing; they
must 60 down and finish their breakfast
On the stage, while the stage-master calls
over the list and the ballet-master chats
with the composer.
snow, mesdemoiselles, are all of you
ready2"
The girlsformed into groups.
"Who is waiting there2" -
sit Is Bertrand, senior"
"Always Bertrand, senior. Where is
Chenu9" ...-
Here, monsieur.
''Take your place."
Then addressing himself to another,
the stage manager said:
'What, are you eating still2'
"I'm not eating, monsieur, it is only
coffee berries
The stage manager shrugs his should
ers, and at this moment the ballet mas
ter knocks on the stage with his staff
The musicians start an air and the re.
hearsal begins. Evaline does her best to
replace worthily, although Professionally
the coryphee Bertrand, senior. She walks
runs, dances, mixes with all the groups,
kneels down, rises, and then begins il
all over again.
"Come mesdemoiselles, once more, il
you please"
And from once more to once more the
rehearsal is prolonged until 4 o'clock
The dancers then return to the dressing
room. Evaline undresses, puts on he
ordinary costume, and leaves the opera.
It is o'clock when she arrives q
Montmartre. Nine. Chenu is at the doc
of her house.
"Ahl there you arei Ahi it IS lucky
for you that you have comer'
"3ut, mamma, the rehearsal has only
Just finished"
"Just finished! Nonsense! You Away
tell the same tale. am sure you hav,
been staring In the shops and gaddins
| about"
"But, mamma"
81 don't want any, But, mamma.
Make haste to take your hat and cloal
off and come and peel the potatoes
Evelina protested that she had to sew
her dancing shoes. No matter; she mus
do that after she has peeled the potatoes
and Nine. Chenu returns majestically Il
her pots and pans, while Evellna ob,ys
grumbling.
Having peeled the potatoes, EVELYN,
takes out of her rcticule pair OF dane
1uS suoeS duu SpeS duu BIS III Tue COutt
| yard to repair them. 1t is o'clock. Eve
lima has barely time to wash herself, t
dine and return in haste to the opera
She figures in the first act, plays in tn
second, and dances in the ballet In tn
third. During the fourth act she remain
in her dressing room and rests. Sh
does some CROCHET work In order to pas
| the time. w
The call boy hurries along the corrido
crying: '.Mesdames, The fourth is. over
| Evelina has only just time to put on he
last costume. Pataras! pifl PAT poufl
is the explosion of the end already, an,
Evclina will miss her entree. She rushe
down the staircase, bounds on to tn
stage and arrives just In time to disar
pear in the trap with the daughters {
Saton, whom the barytone has just annih
| iared.
The curtain falls, EvelIna rushes to he
dressing room, undresses, dresses hersel
again, and starts for Montmartre. 1t
nearly o'clock when the dancer rings 8
the door Of her bone. M me. Chenu pull
| the Gordon. 6