At the restaurant in the Hippodrome I saw the notorious ‘Pipe-en-bois’
with two young and naïve and rather ugly girls, sisters. ‘Pipe-en-bois’ is a
corset-maker in a large and successful way of business, and a shareholder in
many Parisian theatres. He is a perfectly ordinary common-looking man, quite
without chic, a long spreading auburn
beard, and bad necktie, rough hair, short of stature. He has keen eyes. He is a
coureur [a chancer]; enjoys himself
every night. Known in all the coulisses
[back-stage at the theatres] of which he has the run; favourite of all the
chorus girls. He gets hold of beginners, dines and sups them, and loves them
without further payment. I should say, very shrewd and rusé [smart] under that frank air of simple joyousness. They say he
is extremely keen in business, and a grudging task-master. His wife takes a
large share in the management of the business. They understand each other,
these two, and go their own separate ways. Certainly a ‘type’, this man. Age
between 45 and 50.
Journals of Arnold Bennett - Friday, November 27, 1902
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