But _Antony_ had been played thirty times; _Antony_ had acclimatised itself; it had made its mark and done its worst, and there did not seem to be any reason to be anxious, until M. Thiers summoned me one morning to the Home Office. M. Thiers is a delightful man; I have known few more agreeable talkers and few listeners as intelligent. We had seen each other many times, and, furthermore, he and I understood one another, because "he was he and I was I." "My dear poet," he said to me, "have you noticed something?" "What, my dear historian?" "That the Théâtre-Français is going to the devil?" "Surely that is no news?" "No, I mention it merely as a misfortune." "Pooh!..." "What do you advise in the case of the Théâtre-Français?" "What one applies to an old structure--a pontoon." "Good! Do you believe, then, that it can no longer stand against the sea?" "Oh! certainly, with a new keel, new sails and a different gear." "Exactly my own opinion: it reminds me of the horse which, in his madness, Roland dragged by the bridle; it had all the attributes of a horse, only, all these attributes were useless on account of one small misfortune: it was dead!" "Precisely the case." "Well, Hugo and you have been very successful at the Porte-Saint-Martin; and I want to do at the Théâtre-Français what they have done at the Musée: to open it on Sunday to enable people to come there to see and study the works of dead authors, and to reserve all the rest of the week for living authors and for Hugo and you specially." "Well, my dear historian, that is the first time I have heard a Home Minister say anything sensible upon a question of art. Let me note the time of day and the date of the month, I must keep it by me ... 15 March 1834, at seven a.m." "Now, what would you want for a comedy, a tragedy, or a drama of five acts at the Théâtre-Français?" "I should first of all need actors who can act drama: Madame Dorval, Bocage, Frédérick." "You cannot have everything at once. I will allow you Madame Dorval; the others must come afterwards." "All right! that is something at all events ... Then I must have some reparation in respect of _Antony._ Therefore I desire that Madame Dorval shall resume her rôle of Adèle." "Granted ... what else?" "That is all." "Oh, you must give us a fresh piece." "In three months' time." "On what terms?" "Why on the usual terms." "There I join issue: they will give you five thousand francs down!" "Ah! five thousand francs!" "Well, I will approach Jouslin de la Salle ... and you shall approach Madame Dorval: only, tell her to be reasonable." "Oh! never fear! to act at the Français and to play _Antony_ there, she would make any sacrifices ... Then, it is settled?" "Yes." "Let us repeat the terms." "Very good." "Hugo and I are to enter the Théâtre-Français by a breach, as did M. de Richelieu's litter." "Exactly." "We are each to write two pieces a year...?" "Agreed."