Mounet-Sully talked to me of art and of probity. His whole speech savored of Protestantism. There are several Protestant pastors in his family and this influenced him unconsciously. Delaunay, surnamed Father Candor, came solemnly to inform me of the bad impression my telegram had made. He told me that the Comédie Française was a ministry; that there was the minister, the secretary, the subchiefs and the employés, and that each one must conform to the rules and bring in his share either of talent or work, and so on and so on.... I saw Coquelin at the theater in the evening. He came to me with outstretched hands. “You know I can’t compliment you,” he said, “on your rash action, but fortunately we shall make you change your mind. When one has the good fortune and the honor of belonging to the Comédie Française one must remain there until the end of one’s career.” Frédéric Febvre pointed out to me that I ought to stay with the Comédie because it would save money for me and I was quite incapable of doing that myself. “Believe me,” he said, “when we are with the Comédie we must not leave, it means our bread provided for us later on.” Got, our dean, then approached me. “Do you know what you are doing in sending in your resignation?” he asked. “No,” I replied. “Deserting.” “You are mistaken,” I answered, “I am not deserting; I am changing barracks.” Others then came to me and they all gave me advice tinged by their own personality, Mounet, as a seer or believer, Delaunay prompted by his bureaucratic soul, Coquelin as a politician blaming another person’s idea now, but extolling it later on and putting it into practice for his own profit—Febvre, a lover of respectability—Got, as a selfish old growler, understanding nothing but the orders of the powers that be and advancement as ordained on hierarchical lines. Worms said to me in his melancholy way: “Will people be better elsewhere?” Worms had the most dreamy soul and the most frank, straightforward character of any member of our illustrious company. I liked him immensely. We were about to return to Paris and I wanted to forget all these things for a time. I was in a hesitating mood. I postponed taking a definite decision. CHAPTER XXIII I AGAIN LEAVE THE COMÉDIE FRANÇAISE