ory of her _debut_
at the Gymnase -- What Rachel would have been as an actor instead
of an actress -- Her comic genius -- Rachel's mother -- What
became of Rachel's money -- Mama Felix as a pawnbroker --
Rachel's trinkets -- Two curious bracelets -- Her first
appearance before Nicholas I. -- A dramatic recital in the open
air -- Rachel's opinion of the handsomest man in Europe -- Rachel
and Samson -- Her obligations to him -- How she repays them --
How she goes to Berryer to be coached in the fable of "The Two
Pigeons" -- An anecdote of Berryer -- Rachel's fear of a "warm
reception" on the first night of "Adrienne Lecouvreur" -- How she
averts the danger -- Samson as a man and as an actor --
Petticoat-revolts at the Comedie-Francaise -- Samson and Regnier
as buffers -- Their different ways of pouring oil upon the
troubled waters -- Mdlle. Sylvanie Plessy -- A parallel between
her and Sarah Bernhardt -- Samson and Regnier's pride in their
profession -- The different character of that pride -- "Apollo
with a bad tailor, and who dresses without a looking-glass" --
Samson gives a lesson in declamation to a procureur-imperial --
The secret of Regnier's greatness as an actor -- A lesson at the
Conservatoire -- Regnier on "make-up" -- Regnier's opinion of
genius on the stage -- A mot of Augustine Brohan -- Giovanni, the
wigmaker of the Comedie-Francaise -- His pride in his profession
-- M. Ancessy, the musical director, and his three wigs 128

CHAPTER VII.

Two composers, Auber and Felicien David -- Auber, the legend of
his youthful appearance -- How it arose -- His daily rides, his
love of women's society -- His mot on Mozart's "Don Juan" -- The
only drawback to Auber's enjoyment of women's society -- His
reluctance to take his hat off -- How he managed to keep it on
most of the time -- His opinion upon Meyerbeer's and Halevy's
genius -- His opinion upon Gerard de Nerval, who hanged himself
with his hat on -- His love of solitude -- His fondness of Paris
-- His grievance against his mother for not having given him
birth there -- He refuses to leave Paris at the commencement of
the siege -- His small appetite -- He proposes to write a new
opera when the Prussians are gone -- Auber suffers no privations,
but has difficulty in finding fodder