“No, monsieur. Je vous ai dit hier soir que vous ne pouviez pas venir dans les coulisses pendant une représentation.” (“No, sir. I told you last night that you could not come backstage during a performance.”) A voice could be heard saying loudly from the other side of Madeleine’s office door.
“Zat is Marcel. I wonder what is going on?” Madeleine asked her two companions.
“Marcel who?” Jon asked the French woman.
“He is ze stage manager. Somezing must be wrong; he is not ze type to raise his voice for no reason,” Madeleine answered Jon. Karyn sat, not paying much attention to the voice from the other side of the door.
“Madeleine m’a dit que je pouvais rester ici et attendre.” (“Madeleine told me that I could stay here and wait.”) Another voice could be heard saying.
“Ah oui ? Alors pourquoi ne pas aller lui demander ensemble ?” (“Did she now? Then why don’t we go and ask her together?”) The voice that Jon now knew belonged to the stage manager could be heard saying.
A few seconds later, there was a knock on Madeleine’s office door.
“Pardonnez-moi de vous interrompre, madame. Je sais que vous êtes très occupée ce soir, mais ce jeune homme prétend que vous lui avez permis de rester dans les coulisses.” (“I am sorry to interrupt you, madam. I know you are very busy this evening, but this young man claims that you permitted him to remain backstage.”) Marcel said to Madeleine.
Madeleine looked in the direction Marcel was indicating and saw a young man standing there, a young man she had seen several times now.
“Un instant, Marcel.” (“One moment, Marcel.”) Madeleine said before turning towards Jon and Karyn.
“Duty calls. I will be back soon. Zere is somezing I must deal with,” she said as she left the office.
In the corridor, she turned her attention to the young man.
“Alors, Julien, qu’avez-vous dit exactement à Marcel au sujet de votre présence dans les coulisses ?” (“So, Julien, what exactly did you tell Marcel about being allowed backstage?”) Madeleine asked.
“Vous m’avez dit que j’avais le droit de venir dans les coulisses.” (“You told me that I was allowed backstage.”) Julien replied.
“Seulement lorsque vous êtes ici pour votre travail. Nous en avons parlé hier soir, n’est-ce pas ?” (“Only when you are here for your work. We discussed this last night, didn’t we?”) Madeleine said, using an almost motherly tone towards the young man.
Out in the corridor, a small crowd had gathered, watching what was going on.
“Je sais, mais…” (“I know, but…”) Julien replied.
“Pas de ‘mais’, Julien. Vous avez de la chance que Marcel soit venu me voir plutôt que de s’adresser à Henri. Vous savez ce qu’il aurait fait, n’est-ce pas ?” (“No buts, Julien. You are lucky that Marcel came to see me rather than going to Henri. You know what he would have done, don’t you?”) Madeleine asked him.
“Oui, madame.” (“Yes, madam.”) Julien replied dejectedly.
“Maintenant, vous allez accompagner Marcel, et il va vous raccompagner hors du théâtre. Ensuite, nous n’en parlerons plus. D’accord ?” (“Now you will go with Marcel, and he will escort you out of the theatre. Then we will say no more about this. Agreed?”) Madeleine asked him.
“Oui, madame.” (“Yes, madam.”) the young Frenchman replied.
“Marcel, pourriez-vous vous en charger ?” (“Marcel, could you take care of that?”) Madeleine asked.
“Bien sûr, madame. Vous allez parler à…” (“Of course, madam. Will you be going to speak to…”) Marcel began.
“Oui. Je vais parler à Colette et voir si elle peut aider notre jeune ami à comprendre la situation. Ce n’est pas le premier jeune homme à tomber amoureux d’une fille du chœur, et ce ne sera probablement pas le dernier.” (“Yes. I am going to speak to Colette and see if she can help our young friend understand the situation. He is not the first young man to fall for one of the chorus girls, and he probably won’t be the last.”) Madeleine informed her colleague as she turned and started along the corridor towards the chorus dressing room.
