In fact Pierre would never have been able to obtain admittance if the General had not good-naturedly offered to take him in.

As a matter of fact the old warrior was well pleased to have somebody to chat with.

He explained that he had simply come there to kill time, just as he might have killed it at a concert or a charity bazaar.

However, like the ex-Legitimist and Bonapartist that he was, he had really come for the pleasure of feasting his eyes on the shameful spectacle of parliamentary ignominy.
When the General and Pierre had climbed the stairs, they were able to secure two front seats in one of the public galleries.

Little Massot, who was already there, and who knew them both, placed one of them on his right and the other on his left.