Bosc and Fontan had appeared profoundly indifferent during the course of this explanation.

Let each man fight for his own hand, they reflected; the present dispute had nothing to do with them; they had no interest therein! All the actors clustered round Fauchery and began questioning him and fishing for praise, while Mignon listened to the last of Prulliere's complaints without, however, losing sight of Count Muffat, whose return he had been on the watch for.
Entering in the half-light, the count had paused at the back of the stage, for he hesitated to interrupt the quarrel.

But Bordenave caught sight of him and ran forward.
"Aren't they a pretty lot ?" he muttered.

"You can have no idea what I've got to undergo with that lot, Monsieur le Comte.

Each man's vainer than his neighbor, and they're wretched players all the same, a scabby lot, always mixed up in some dirty business or other! Oh, they'd be delighted if I were to come to smash.