Calliope nodded a few times “Which is why I asked you if you didn’t want to do some more studying.” And then winked, laughing. And when Darius started to specify that no, dance was there too, Chéri said “Oh, I don’t doubt that. My village too had dancing, even if it was very small. But on stage it is different. We express a lot and we do show a lot. Ballet does not permit stiff clothing and many layers, the body is very exposed… which is in part why it is so popular in Paris and why artist often seek us as dancers as models: we show more, have less difficulties showing more and our bodies are young and strong.” Chéri shrugged. The bigotry wasn’t his personal position, he knew nothing of theatre goers in Britain, but he knew how indecent it was to be a female ballet dancer in France. As far as the assumptions about male ballet dancers went, he had trouble discerning them from the assumptions that were generally made about him without knowing what his job was.

Chéri laughed out loud at that comment and said “See? Sometimes I too get confused.” He straightened his back. At the following suggestion, Chéri started to look pensive, looked at the cellar and in the end say “Let’s see. I’ll try to order the necessary and I will look into how expensive it is. Then we can discuss. With what you gave me, I should look good at least on paper.”