The audience applauded; the clappers shouted acclamations.

Then little by little the house emptied.
"I must go and pay my respects to the Countess Muffat," said La Faloise.
"Exactly so; you'll present me," replied Fauchery; "we'll go down afterward." But it was not easy to get to the first-tier boxes.

In the passage at the top of the stairs there was a crush.

In order to get forward at all among the various groups you had to make yourself small and to slide along, using your elbows in so doing.

Leaning under a copper lamp, where a jet of gas was burning, the bulky critic was sitting in judgment on the piece in presence of an attentive circle.