The Comte de Kératry was also present, an elegant young Hussar, who paid me great compliments, and invited me to go and recite some poetry at his mother’s house. My aunt then sang a song which was very much in vogue, and had great success. She was coquettish and charming and just a trifle jealous of this insignificant niece who had taken up the attention of her admirers for a few minutes. When I returned home I was quite another being. I sat down, dressed as I was, on my bed and remained for a long time deep in thought. Hitherto all I had known of life had been through my family and my work. I had now just had a glimpse of it through society, and I was struck by the hypocrisy of some of the people, and the conceit of others. I began to wonder uneasily what I should do, shy and frank as I was. I thought of my mother. She did not do anything, though. She was indifferent to everything. I thought of my Aunt Rosine, who, on the contrary, liked to mix in everything. I remained there looking down on the ground, my head in a whirl, and feeling very anxious, and I did not go to bed until I was thoroughly cold. CHAPTER VII I MAKE MY DÉBUT AND EXIT The next few days passed by without any particular events. I was working hard at _Iphigénie_, as M. Thierry had told me I was to make my début in this rôle. At the end of August I received a notice requesting me to be at the rehearsal of _Iphigénie_. Oh, that first notice, how it made my heart beat! I could not sleep at night, and daylight did not come quickly enough for me. I kept getting up to look at the time. It seemed to me that the clock had stopped. I had dozed, and I fancied it was the same time as before. Finally, a streak of light coming through the windowpanes was, I thought, the triumphant sun illuminating my room. I got up at once, pulled back the curtains, and mumbled my rôle while dressing. I thought of rehearsing with Mme. Devoyod, the first actress at the Comédie Française for tragedy, with Maubant, with ... I trembled as I thought of all this, for Mme. Devoyod was not supposed to be very indulgent. I arrived for the rehearsal an hour before the time. The stage manager, Davenne, smiled and asked me whether I knew my rôle. “Oh, yes!” I exclaimed with conviction. “Come and rehearse it. Would you like to?” and he took me to the stage. I went with him through the long corridor of busts which leads from the _foyer_ of the _artistes_ to the stage. He told me the names of the celebrities represented by these busts. I stood still a moment before that of Adrienne Lecouvreur. “I love that _artiste_,” I said. “Do you know her story?” he asked. “Yes, I have read all that has been written about her.” “That’s quite right, my child,” said the worthy man. “You ought to read all that concerns your art. I will lend you some very interesting books.”