Friday night in a two hours' storm of excitement and
pleasure. They actually recommenced and applauded right away into their
carriages and down the street.

You know your parent's horror of being lionised, and will not be
surprised to hear that I am half dead of it. I cannot leave here until
Thursday (though I am every hour in danger of running away) because I
have to dine out, to say nothing of breakfasting--think of me
breakfasting!--every intervening day. But my project is to send John
home on Thursday, and then to go on a little perfectly quiet tour for
about ten days, touching the sea at Boulogne. When I get there, I will
write to your aunt (in case you should not be at home), saying when I
shall arrive at the office. I must go to the office instead of Gad's,
because I have much to do with Forster about Elliotson.

I enclose a short note for each of the little boys. Give Harry ten
shillings pocket-money, and Plorn six.

The Olliffe girls, very nice. Florence at the readings, prodigiously
excited.

[Sidenote: Miss Hogarth.]

PARIS, _Sunday, Feb. 1st, 1863._

From my hurried note to Mamie, you will get some faint general idea of a
new star's having arisen in Paris. But of its brightness you can have no
adequate conception.

[John has locked me up and gone out, and the little bell at the door is
ringing demoniacally while I write.]

You have never heard me read yet. I have been twice goaded and lifted
out of myself into a state that astonished _me_ almost as much as the
audience. I have a cold, but no neuralgia, and am "as well as can be
expected."

I forgot to tell Mamie that I went (with Lady Molesworth) to hear
"Faust" last night. It is a splendid work, in which that noble and sad
story is most nobly and sadly rendered, and perfectly delighted me. But
I think it requires too much of the audience to do for a London opera
house. The composer must be a very remarkable man indeed. Some
management of light throughout the story is also very poetical and fine.
We had Carvalho's box. I could hardly bear the thing, it affected me so.

But, as a certain Frenchman said, "No weakness, Danton!" So I leave off.

[Sidenote: M. Charles Fechter.]

PARIS, _Wednesday, Feb. 4th, 1863._

MY DEAR FECHTER,

A thousand congratulations on your great success! Never mind what they
say, or do, _pour vous ecraser_; you have the game in your hands. T