The day after this dismal ceremony I made my _début_ at the Odéon in _Le jeu de l’amour et du hasard_. I was not suited for Marivaux’s plays, as they require a certain coquettishness and an affectation which were not then and still are not among my qualities. Then, too, I was rather too slight, so that I made no success at all. Chilly happened to be passing along the corridor, just as Duquesnel was talking to me and encouraging me. Chilly pointed to me and remarked: “_Une flûte pour les gens du monde, il n’y a même pas de mie._” I was furious at the man’s insolence, and the blood rushed to my face, but I saw through my half-closed eyes Camille Doucet’s face, that face always so clean shaven and young-looking under his crown of white hair. I thought it was a vision of my mind, which was always on the alert, on account of the promise I had made. But no, it was he himself, and he came up to me. “What a pretty voice you have!” he said. “Your second appearance will be such a pleasure for us!” This man was always courteous, but truthful. This _début_ of mine had not given him any pleasure, but he was counting on my next appeai-ance, and he had spoken the truth. I had a pretty voice, and that was all that any one could say from my first trial. I remained at the Odéon, and worked very hard. I was ready to take any one’s place at a moment’s notice, for I knew all the _rôles_. I made some success, and the students had a predilection for me. When I came on to the stage I was always greeted by applause from these young men. A few old sticklers used to turn towards the pit and try and command silence, but no one cared a straw for them. Finally my day of triumph dawned. Duquesnel had the happy idea of putting _Athalie_ on again, with Mendelssohn’s choruses. Beauvallet, who had been odious as a professor, was charming as a comrade. By special permission from the Ministry he was to play Joad. The _rôle_ of Zacharie was assigned to me. Some of the Conservatoire pupils were to take the spoken choruses, and the female pupils who studied singing undertook the musical part. The rehearsals were so bad that Duquesnel and Chilly were in despair. Beauvallet, who was more agreeable now, but not choice in his language, muttered some terrible words. We began over and over again, but it was all to no purpose. The spoken choruses were simply abominable. When suddenly Chilly exclaimed: “Well, let the young one say all the spoken choruses. They will be right enough with her pretty voice!”