The rehearsals were strained on all sides. Perrin, who was a warm partisan of Croizette, bewailed the want of suppleness of her talent, so much so that one day Croizette, out of all patience, burst out: “Well, monsieur, you should have left the rôle to Sarah, she would have taken the part in the love scenes as you wish; I cannot do any better. You irritate me too much, I have had enough of it!” And she ran off, sobbing, into the little _guignol_, where she had an attack of hysteria. I followed her and consoled her as well as I could. And in the midst of her tears she kissed me, murmuring: “It is true, it is they who instigated me to do this nasty trick, and now they are bothering me.” Croizette spoke broadly—very broadly—and sometimes she had quite a provincial accent. Then we made up our quarrel entirely. A week before the first performance I received an anonymous letter informing me that Perrin was trying his very best to get Dumas to change the name of the piece. He wished—it goes without saying—to have the piece called “La Duchesse de Septmonts.” I rushed off to the theater to find Perrin at once. At the door I met Coquelin, who was taking the part of the _Duc de Septmonts_, which he did marvelously well. I showed him the letter. He shrugged his shoulders. “It is infamous! But why do you take any notice of an anonymous letter? It is not worthy of you!” We were talking at the foot of the staircase when the manager arrived. “Here, show the letter to Perrin.” And he took it from my hands in order to show it to him. Perrin reddened slightly. “I know this writing,” he said. “It is some one from the theater who has written this letter.” I snatched it back from him. “Then it is some one who is well informed, and what he says is perhaps true, is it not so? Tell me, I have the right to know.” “I detest anonymous letters.” And he went up the stairs with a slight bow, without saying anything further. “Ah, if it is true,” said Coquelin, “it is too much! Would you like me to go to see Dumas? I will find out at once.” “No, thank you. But you have put an idea into my head.” And shaking hands with him I went off immediately to see Dumas, _fils_. He was just going out. “Well, well! What is the matter? Your eyes are blazing!”