Then dragging himself unsteadily along in his greatcoat, he took his departure, grumbling and looking as annoyed as a man who has been rudely disturbed.
"You were very amiable in your last notice," continued Fontan, addressing Fauchery.

"Only why do you say that comedians are vain ?" "Yes, my little man, why d'you say that ?" shouted Mignon, bringing down his huge hands on the journalist's slender shoulders with such force as almost to double him up.
Prulliere and Clarisse refrained from laughing aloud.

For some time past the whole company had been deriving amusement from a comedy which was going on in the wings.

Mignon, rendered frantic by his wife's caprice and annoyed at the thought that this man Fauchery brought nothing but a certain doubtful notoriety to his household, had conceived the idea of revenging himself on the journalist by overwhelming him with tokens of friendship.

Every evening, therefore, when he met him behind scenes he would shower friendly slaps on his back and shoulders, as though fairly carried away by an outburst of tenderness, and Fauchery, who was a frail, small man in comparison with such a giant, was fain to take the raps with a strained smile in order not to quarrel with Rose's husband.
"Aha, my buck, you've insulted Fontan," resumed Mignon, who was doing his best to force the joke.