[44] E. and J. de Goncourt, _Sophie Arnould_, p. 119. [45] Desnoiresterres, _Gluck et Piccini_, p. 93. [46] Mr. Ernest Newman, “Gluck and the Opera,” p. 139. [47] The _Mémoires secrets_ attribute much of the applause to “the desire of the public to please Madame la Dauphine, who did not cease to clap her hands, and thus compelled the Comtesse de Provence, the princes, and all the boxes to do likewise.” [48] _Mémoires secrets_, vii. 185. [49] Grimm, _Correspondance littéraire_, viii. 322. [50] Métra, _Correspondance secrète_, i. 64. [51] _Mémoires secrets_, viii. 321. [52] Campardon, _L’Académie royale de Musique au XVIIIe siècle_: Article, “Levasseur.” [53] _Gluck et Piccini_, p. 132. [54] By the rules of the Opera, Sophie, as senior “_actrice chantante seule_” could have insisted, had she been so minded, on taking the part of Alceste. In 1774, Mlle. Duplant, who then occupied that position, claimed the title-part in _Iphigénie_, and considerable difficulty was experienced in persuading her to forego her claim, and be content with Clytemnestra. [55] In October of that year, two successive issues of this worthy’s organ were confiscated by the police, on account of the scandalous attacks upon certain members of the theatrical profession which they contained. [56] _Mémoires secrets_, ix. 230. [57] La Harpe relates that in the scene where Iphigenia says to Achilles “_Vous brûlez que je sois partie_,” the pit applied the words to the actress and burst into ironical applause. [58] See p. 170 _infra_. [59] In addition to her pensions, she had 2000 livres a year from a settlement made upon her by Lauraguais, and owned a house at Port-à-l’Anglais, which she sold, some months after her retirement from the stage, for 20,000 livres. From a letter to Alleaume, written apparently during the winter of 1775-1776, we learn that she was then in receipt of allowances from at least two more of her noble lovers; 4250 livres from the Prince de Conti, and 3250 from the Prince de Condé; but how long these payments were continued it is impossible to say. [60] The antiquary Millin, who annotated a copy of _Arnoldiana_ which afterwards came into the Goncourts’ possession, asserts that she had had tender relations with the Comte d’Artois and “my lord” Stuart. [61] Mr. R. B. Douglas, “Sophie Arnould: actress and wit,” p. 209. [62] Cited by the Goncourts, _Sophie Arnould_, p. 132. [63] _La Chronique scandaleuse_, No. 29, cited by E. and J. de Goncourt, _Sophie Arnould_, p. 149. [64] According to another account, to which the Goncourts and Mr. R. B. Douglas both give credence, it was a bust of Sophie herself, by Houdon, representing her as Iphigenia; and the agents of the revolutionary committee “mistook a sky-blue band on which was painted a quarter-moon and two stars for the scarf of Marat.” But is not this making rather a severe call upon our credulity?