Nana

Author: émile Zola
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-06-01
Features: At nine o'clock in the evening, the grand hall of the Paris Varieté Theatre was still empty. A few people were waiting in the balcony and the front stalls, seemingly vanishing among the crimson velvet seats under the dim light of the chandeliers. The curtain was immersed in shadows, like a large stain of red, and no sound came from the stage. The footlights were extinguished, and the music stands were scattered. Only on the fifth balcony, around the dome, could calls and laughter be heard above the continuous chatter. The dome depicted a sky, illuminated by gas lamps, turning green, with several women and naked children flying across it, while below the golden-framed large round windows, rows of heads wearing flat hats and bowlers were visible.
Sometimes, an usher appeared, bustling with tickets in her hand, asking a gentleman and a lady in front of her to hurry and take their seats. The man wore a dinner jacket, and the woman was slim, her chest thrust forward, slowly scanning the surroundings. Two young people appeared in the front stalls. They stopped to look. "I told you so, Hector?" the older one said loudly. He was tall, with a small black mustache. "We came too early. You should let me finish my cigar." An usher walked over. "Oh! Monsieur Fosselet," she said warmly, "the show won't start for another half an hour." "Then why did they advertise it as starting at nine on the posters?" Hector whispered. His gaunt face showed displeasure. "This morning, the actress Clarisse assured me that the show would start exactly at nine." For a moment, they were silent, looking up with their eyes searching the dim boxes. The green wallpaper in the boxes made them seem even darker. The boxes below the balcony were completely pitch black. In the second-floor boxes, only a stout lady was leaning on the velvet railing. On both sides of the stage, between the tall columns, the boxes remained empty, adorned with curtains with tassels. The hall was white and gold, appearing faded against the pale green backdrop, and under the faint light of the huge crystal chandeliers, it was as if dust was floating in the air.
"Did you book a side box for Lucie?" Hector asked. "Yes," the other replied, "but it wasn't easy."