Thus it came about that from day to day I have always made notes of my recollections be they good or bad, gay or sad, happy or not, and kept them so that I might have them constantly in mind. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE FOREWORD vii I MY ADMISSION TO THE CONSERVATOIRE 1 II YOUTHFUL YEARS 11 III THE GRAND PRIX DE ROME 20 IV THE VILLA MEDICI 29 V THE VILLA MEDICI (CONTINUED) 37 VI THE VILLA MEDICI (CONTINUED) 43 VII MY RETURN TO PARIS 53 VIII MY DEBUT AT THE THEATER 63 IX THE DAYS AFTER THE WAR 74 X JOY AND SORROW 82 XI MY DEBUT AT THE OPÉRA 93 XII THE THEATERS IN ITALY 103 XIII THE CONSERVATOIRE AND THE INSTITUTE 114 XIV A FIRST PERFORMANCE AT BRUSSELS 123 XV THE ABBÉ PREVOST AT THE OPÉRA-COMIQUE 136 XVI FIVE COLLABORATORS 148 XVII A JOURNEY TO GERMANY 161 XVIII A STAR 173 XIX A NEW LIFE 186 XX MILAN--LONDON--BAYREUTH 199 XXI A VISIT TO VERDI--FAREWELL TO AMBROISE THOMAS 208 XXII WORK! ALWAYS WORK! 217 XXIII IN THE MIDST OF THE MIDDLE AGES 231 XXIV FROM _Chérubin_ TO _Thérèse_ 242 XXV SPEAKING OF 1793 254 XXVI FROM _Ariane_ TO _Don Quichotte_ 267 XXVII A SOIRÉE 278 XXVIII DEAR EMOTIONS 288 XXIX THOUGHTS AFTER DEATH 302 ILLUSTRATIONS The Master, Jules Massenet _Frontispiece_ sPAGE Massenet at Égreville 44 One of the last portraits of Massenet 68 Mme. Pauline Viardot 84 Titta Ruffo, Caruso and Chaliapine 110