Ebook The Count of Monte-Cristo

The curtain rose as usual to an almost empty house, it being one of the absurdities of Parisian fashion never to appear at the Opera until after the performance has begun, so that the first act is generally played without the slight est attention being paid to it, that part of the audience already assembled being occupied in observing the new arrivals; while the noise of Opening and shutting doors, with the mingled buzz of many conversations, makes it impossible to hear anything else.