he
milk-pail. She talked to M. de Grimaldi in a way that seemed to hint she
was willing to give a little hope. As our guest did not eat, she said
graciously that he must come to dinner some day that she might have an
opportunity of seeing whether he really had any appetite.

When he had gone I took her on my knee, and covering her with kisses
asked her where she had learnt to talk to great people so well.

"It's an easy matter," she replied. "Your eyes speak to my soul, and tell
me what to do and what to say."

A professed rhetorician could not have answered more elegantly or more
flatteringly.

I finished the translation; I had it copied out by Costa and took it to
Rossi, the manager, who said he would put it on directly, when I told him
I was going to make him a present of the play. I named the actors of my
choice, and asked him to bring them to dine with me at my inn, that I
might read the play and distribute the parts.

As will be guessed, my invitation was accepted, and Rosalie enjoyed
dining with the actors and actresses, and especially hearing herself
called Madame Casanova every moment. Veronique explained everything she
did not understand.

When my actors were round me in a ring, they begged me to tell them their
parts, but I would not give in on this point.

"The first thing to be done," said I, "is for you to listen attentively
to the whole piece without minding about your parts. When you know the
whole play I will satisfy your curiosity."

I knew that careless or idle actors often pay no attention to anything
except their own parts, and thus a piece, though well played in its
parts, is badly rendered as a whole.

They submitted with a tolerably good grace, which the high and mighty
players of the Comedie Francaise would certainly not have done. Just as I
was beginning my heading the Marquis de Grimaldi and the banker Belloni
came in to call on me. I was glad for them to be present at the trial,
which only lasted an hour and a quarter.

After I had heard the opinion of the actors, who by their praise of
various situations shewed me that they had taken in the plot, I told
Costa to distribute the parts; but no sooner was this done than the first
actor and the first actress began to express their displeasure; she,
because I had given her the part of Lady Alton; he, because I had not
given him Murray's part; but they had to bear it as it was my will. I
pleased everybody by asking them all to dinner fo