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It's a very important department; we have twelve horses." "Twelve horses! And what for, in Heaven's name?" "Why, we want trained horses for the processions in the Juive, The Profeta and so on; horses 'used to the boards. It is the grooms' business to teach them. M. Lachenel is very clever at it. He used to manage Franconi's stables." "Very well ... but what does he want?"
"I did and I shouted, but they were too fast for me and disappeared in the darkness of the underground gallery." M. Richard rose. "That will do, M. Lachenel. "And sack my stable?" "Oh, of course! Good morning." M. Lachenel bowed and withdrew. Richard foamed at the mouth. "Settle that idiot's account at once, please." "He is a friend of the government representative's!" Mercier ventured to say.
"Yes, sir," explained Mercier, "there are several grooms at the Opera and M. Lachenel is at the head of them." "And what does this groom do?" "He has the chief management of the stable." "What stable?" "Why, yours, sir, the stable of the Opera." "Is there a stable at the Opera? Upon my word, I didn't know. Where is it?" "In the cellars, on the Rotunda side.
"I don't know; I never saw him in such a state." "He can come in." M. Lachenel came in, carrying a riding-whip, with which he struck his right boot in an irritable manner. "Good morning, M. Lachenel," said Richard, somewhat impressed. "To what do we owe the honor of your visit?" "Mr. Manager, I have come to ask you to get rid of the whole stable." "What, you want to get rid of our horses?"
"Look here, I'm getting sick of him, sick of him!" shouted Richard, bringing his fists down on his office-table. Just then, Mercier, the acting-manager, entered. "Lachenel would like to see one of you gentlemen," he said. "He says that his business is urgent and he seems quite upset." "Who's Lachenel?" asked Richard. "He's your stud-groom." "What do you mean? My stud-groom?"
"What do your stablemen say?" "All sorts of nonsense. Some of them accuse the supers. Others pretend that it's the acting-manager's doorkeeper ..." "My doorkeeper? I'll answer for him as I would for myself!" protested Mercier. "But, after all, M. Lachenel," cried Richard, "you must have some idea." "Yes, I have," M. Lachenel declared. "I have an idea and I'll tell you what it is.
"We don't need more than four stablemen for twelve horses." "Eleven," said the head riding-master, correcting him. "Twelve," repeated Richard. "Eleven," repeated Lachenel. "Oh, the acting-manager told me that you had twelve horses!" "I did have twelve, but I have only eleven since Cesar was stolen." And M. Lachenel gave himself a great smack on the boot with his whip.
"I'm not talking of the horses, but of the stablemen." "How many stablemen have you, M. Lachenel?" "Six stablemen! That's at least two too many." "These are 'places," Mercier interposed, "created and forced upon us by the under-secretary for fine arts. They are filled by protegees of the government and, if I may venture to ..." "I don't care a hang for the government!" roared Richard.
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