That actually did explain why the crowd outside was only a couple patrons deep. He almost began to wonder why in the world a smart and capable Ringleader like Lucien would visit a town twice in such a short amount of time, but then it struck him: of course, they came here for him. His smile widened, secret triumphs were Geralt's favorite kind. Well, in this instance they were. 

[color=crimson]"Aah, this makes much more sense now. I was wondering how a legitimate and exciting operation like yours could see such low numbers. But, never fear, Geralt is here." [/color]He winked at the ringleader, his confidence never wavering.

At Lucien's next question, he bit back a comment about how he thought the Ringleader felt about talking finances, and said instead: [color=crimson]"Well, of course. Back in Paris, I was up to two dollars a person, including the young ones, but that would never fly with this crowd. My act is long, and worth the charge, but I'll leave matters of finance up to the financier. I am but a humble servant of your stage, now monsieur."[/color] He gestured toward Lucien, one arm behind his back as he did so, and he kept it there as they walked. 'Nothing was more striking than a man with a sharp suit and severe posture', as his father used to say.