The actors waiting for their cues were being scared by quite a serious episode.

For some seconds past Mignon had been renewing his jokes and smothering Fauchery with caresses.
He had at last invented a little game of a novel kind and had begun flicking the other's nose in order, as he phrased it, to keep the flies off him.

This kind of game naturally diverted the actors to any extent.
But success had suddenly thrown Mignon off his balance.

He had launched forth into extravagant courses and had given the journalist a box on the ear, an actual, a vigorous, box on the ear.

This time he had gone too far: in the presence of so many spectators it was impossible for Fauchery to pocket such a blow with laughing equanimity.