"There is a gentleman with one down there in the stalls." "A telescope at the opera--the gods forbid! Here, however, is my opera-glass, if you like to use it." Josephine turned it over curiously, and peeped first through one tube and then through the other.
"Which ought I to look through ?" asked she.
"Both, of course." "Both! How can I ?" "Why thus--as you look through a pair of spectacles." "_Ciel!_ I can't manage that! I can never look through anything without covering up one eye with my hand." "Then I think you had better be contented with your own charming eyes, _ma belle_" said I, nervously.

"How do you like your bouquet ?" Josephine sniffed at it as if she were taking snuff, and pronounced it perfect.

Just then the opera began.

I withdrew into the shade, and Josephine was silenced for a while in admiration of the scenery and the dresses.

By and by, she began to yawn.
"Ah, _mon Dieu!_" said she, "when will they have done singing?
I have not heard a word all this time." "But everything is sung, _ma chere_, in an opera." "What do you mean?
Is there no play ?" "This is the play; only instead of speaking their words, they sing them." Josephine shrugged her shoulders.
"Ah, bah!" said she.