Up to the last moment, people in Paris did not believe that I would really go. I had such uncertain health that it seemed folly to undertake such a journey. But when it was quite certain that I was going, there was a general outburst from my enemies and the hue and cry after me was in full swing. I have now under my eyes the specimens of insanity, calumnies, lies, and stupidities, burlesque portraits, doleful pleasantries, good-bys to the darling, the idol, the star, the zimm! boum! boum! etc., etc.... It was all so absolutely idiotic that I was confounded. I had not read the greater part of these articles, but my secretary had orders to cut them out and paste them in little notebooks, whether favorable or unfavorable. It was my godfather who had commenced doing this when I entered the _Conservatoire_ and after his death I had it continued. Happily I find, in these thousands of lines, fine and noble words—words written by J. J. Weiss, Zola, Emile de Girardin, Jules Vallés, Jules Lemaître, etc.; and beautiful verses full of grace and justice, signed Victor Hugo, Francois Coppée, Richemin, Haroucourt, Henri de Bornier, Catulle Mendès, Parodi, and later Edmond Rostand. I neither could nor would suffer unduly from the calumnies and lies; but I confess that the kindly appreciation and praises accorded me by the superior spirits afforded me infinite joy. CHAPTER XXV MY ARRIVAL IN AMERICA The ship which was to take me away to other hopes, other sensations, and other successes was named _L’Amérique_. It was the unlucky boat, the boat that was haunted by the Gnome. All kinds of misfortunes, accidents, and storms had been its lot. It had been stranded for months with its keel out of water. Its stern had been staved in by an Iceland boat and it had foundered on the shoals of Newfoundland, I believe, and been set afloat again. Another time fire had broken out on it right in the Hâvre roadstead, but no great damage was done, and the poor boat had had a celebrated adventure which had made it ridiculous. In 1876 or 1877 a new pumping system was adopted and although this system had been in use by the English for a long time it was quite unknown aboard French boats. The captain very wisely decided to have these pumps worked by his crew so that in case of any danger the men would be ready to manipulate them easily. The experiment had been going on for a few minutes when one of the men came to inform the captain that the hold of the ship was filling with water, and no one could discover the cause of it. “Go on pumping!” shouted the captain. “Hurry up! Pump away!” The pumps were worked frantically and the result was that the hold filled entirely, and the captain was obliged to abandon the ship after seeing the passengers safely off in the boats. An English whaler met the ship two days after, tried the pumps which worked admirably but in the contrary way to that indicated by the French captain.