debt. The philosopher’s expression grew
proud and fierce. The first thirteen years of
his marriage had been devoted to paying off this debt:
then came the death of the sister of M. de Gossec,
leaving her niece eight hundred thousand francs, five
hundred thousand of which had served to pay the debt.
For the last four years the family had been living
in this comfortable apartment on the Boulevard Raspail,
very happy and without material worries: but
how cruel those first thirteen years had been for
this young woman! He gazed at the pastel for a
long time, his eyes filling with tears. “Oh,
my dear, dear wife!”
In the carriage on the way to the Conservatoire the
conversation was very animated. The dramatic
author was listening with great interest while the
young girl explained her theories on art and life.
“What a strange little being,” he thought,
and his penetrating glance tried in vain to discover
what weakness was most likely to attack this little
creature who seemed so perfect.
The carriage stopped at the Conservatoire. Jean
Perliez was waiting at the foot of the stairs.
At sight of them his face lighted up. “I
was afraid that you had forgotten me in the joy of
your success.”
The girl looked at him in amazement. “How
could I forget when I had given my word?”
“You know Victorien Sardou?”
“Only to-day,” said Esperance laughing;
“yesterday we did not know him.”
They were back in the reception-room which was only
a little less noisy than it was in the morning.
Many candidates believed that they had been accepted;
several had even received encouraging applause; others,
who had been received in frigid silence, comforted
themselves with the reflection that they had at least
been allowed to finish.
When Jean Perliez and Esperance entered the auditorium
there was a flattering stir, as much in pleasure at
seeing the young girl again, as in welcome to the
future actor.
“Scene from Britannicus, M. Jean Perliez,
‘Nero’; Mlle. Esperance Darbois,
‘Junia,’” proclaimed the usher.
The scene was so very well enacted that a “Bravo”
broke from the learned group around the table.
Which one of the judges had not been able to contain
his admiration? The young actors could not decide.
Each one believed sincerely the success was due to
the other. They congratulated each other with
charming expressions of delight, and took each other
by the hand.
“We shall be good friends, shall we not, M.
Perliez?” said Esperance.
The young man turned quite red, and when Madame Darbois
held out her hand to him, he kissed it politely, with
the kiss he had not dared to give to Esperance.
Esperance having chosen the stage as her career, the
whole household was more or less thrown into confusion.
It became necessary to make several new arrangements.
As Francois Darbois was not willing that his wife
should accompany Esperance every day to the Conservatoire,
it became quite a problem to find a suitable person
to undertake this duty.
