on with regard to one of her gifts --
Alexandre Dumas the younger, wiser or perhaps not so wise in his
generation -- Rachel as a raconteuse -- The story 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.

There were few authors of my time who came in contact with Rachel
without writing about her; there were absolutely none who have
represented her in her true character. Either her genius blinded them to
her faults, or else they were content to perpetuate the popular belief
in her amiability, good nature, generosity, etc. The fact is, that
Rachel off the stage was made of very ordinary clay. She had few of the
good qualities of her race, and a good many of the bad ones; she was
greedy to a degree, and could be very spiteful. All these drawbacks, in
the eyes of most of her biographers, were redeemed by her marvellous
tragic abilities on the stage, by a wonderful "gift of the gab," by a
"happy-go-lucky," "hail-fellow, well-