Oudard transmits to me the desires of the Duc d'Orléans--I am appointed assistant librarian--How this saved His Highness four hundred francs--Rivalry with Casimir Delavigne--Petition of the Classical School against Romantic productions--Letter of support from Mademoiselle Duchesnois--A fantastic dance--The person who called Racine a _blackguard_--Fine indignation of the _Constitutionnel_--First representation of _Marino Faliero_ It will be remembered that, during the brief conversation which I had the honour of holding with M. le Duc d'Orléans in his private box, he had expressed the desire to keep me near him. I had no motive, now I had gained my liberty of action, for leaving the man who, at any rate, had assured me a living for six years and had allowed me to continue my studies and to become what I was. Moreover, at that time, M. le Duc d'Orléans was a typical representative of that Opposition party to which I belonged by rights as the son of a Republican general. M. le Duc d'Orléans, son of a regicide, member of the Jacobin Club, defender of Marat and indebted to Collot d'Herbois, seemed, indeed, to me, I must admit, if he had not greatly degenerated since 1793, to be far more advanced in 1829 than I was myself. He acted well up to the _mot_ he uttered the day I was writing to his dictation: "Monsieur Dumas, bear in mind that, if one is descended from Louis XIV., if only by means of one of his bastards, it is still a sufficient honour to be proud of." I had, of course, called forth this _mot_ by my ignorant hesitation. Besides, one could be proud of being descended from Louis XIV., while still blaming the turpitude of Louis XV. and the faults of Louis XVI.; furthermore, where had even our Republican fathers come from?--the Parc-aux-Cerfs and the Petit Trianon. So then the Duc d'Orléans, if not precisely a Republican prince, as he had been styled in 1792, was at least a citizen prince, as he was called in 1829. In short, it was good for my position, and in harmony with my sympathies, to remain attached to M. le Duc d'Orléans. All these reflections had had sufficient time to ripen in my mind before I received a letter from Oudard asking me to call on him at his office. Formerly, such an invitation would have made me very uneasy; now, it only made me smile, and I presented myself. Raulot bowed nearly to the ground before me; he opened the door and announced-- "M. Alexandre Dumas." Oudard came to meet me with a laughing face. "Well, my dear poet," he said, "it seems you have had an undoubted success?" "Yes." "First, let me congratulate you heartily.... But who could have foreseen it?" "Those who suppressed my bonus money and kept back my salary; for I presume that if they had foreseen a failure they would not have had the cruelty to expose my mother and me to die of starvation." "Did not M. de Broval write to you the night of the representation?" Oudard asked in some confusion. "Yes, indeed; here is his letter."