CHAPTER V I RECITE “THE TWO PIGEONS” Plans for my career—The director of the _Conservatoire_—I study for the examination—The rules of M. Meydieu—Learning _Aricie_—The examination day—Dressing for the ordeal—I recite a fable—The result—How I announced it—The family rejoices 61–74 CHAPTER VI I DECLINE MATRIMONY AND WED ART The awakening of a will—An offer of marriage—I am forced to condemn a gentleman to death—I win a prize—I go for an engagement—The embarrassment of having a naughty small sister—I lose the engagement—I find encouragement in M. Doucet—My lessons—Fencing and elocution—Tribulations with a coiffeur—I enter a competition—The prize I did not win—My rival—Legends that defy history—An humiliating homecoming—The offer of another engagement—An interview at the Théâtre Français and its happy outcome—My aunt has a celebration 75–97 CHAPTER VII I MAKE MY DÉBUT AND EXIT My first rôle—The first rehearsal—Troubles with the costumer—The arraying of _Iphigénie_—The make-up shop—The approach of the first night—I suffer the horrors of stage fright—“_Quand-même_”—The début—New rôles—The disastrous results of taking my sister to a ceremony—The arrogance of a manager—I am cheated of a part and cancel my engagement 98–110 CHAPTER VIII CASTLES IN SPAIN Broken plans—I receive a new offer—I interview the manager of the Gymnase—I make a new engagement—An idiotic rôle in an imbecile play—I determine to kill myself—The allurement of Spain distracts me—I follow my star—Sardou and my letter of resignation—Marseilles and the sea—At Alicante—The night intruder—Gala days at Madrid—Back to Paris—My mother’s illness—I settle down by myself 111–123 CHAPTER IX I RETURN TO THE STAGE Fate drives me back to the theater—New fields at the Porte Saint Martin—The disadvantages of being thin—New prospects—An appointment and a contract—A death and another début—Success at the Odéon—I appear as the chorus—Happy days—George Sand—The disciples of Victor Hugo disapprove of Dumas’s “Kean”—I succeed in spite of a hideous costume—François Coppée and “Le Passant”—The triumph of “Le Passant”—Our summons to the Tuileries—A rehearsal before imperial spectators—Empress Eugénie’s feet—Fêted by an Emperor and a Queen 124–145