Thisconsiderationatoncedecidedthedisposalofmyevening。Iprocuredthetickets，leavinganoteattheProfessor’slodgingsontheway。AtaquartertoeightIcalledtotakehimwithmetothetheatre。Mylittlefriendwasinastateofthehighestexcitement，withafestiveflowerinhisbutton-hole，andthelargestopera-glassIeversawhuggedupunderhisarm。
`Areyouready？’Iasked。
`Right-all-right，’saidPesca。
Westartedforthetheatre。IIIThelastnotesoftheintroductiontotheoperawerebeingplayed，andtheseatsinthepitwereallfilled，whenPescaandIreachedthetheatre。
Therewasplentyofroom，however，inthepassagethatranroundthepit——preciselythepositionbestcalculatedtoanswerthepurposeforwhichIwasattendingtheperformance。Iwentfirsttothebarrierseparatingusfromthestalls，andlookedfortheCountinthatpartofthetheatre。