“At last, on January 3rd, 1777, M. Desessarts, one of the comedians, came to my house ... bringing me four thousand, five-hundred, and six livres as belonging to me from my droits d’auteur for the thirty-two performances of the Barbier. No account being joined, I did not accept the money, although M. Desessarts pressed me to do so in the most polite way in the world.
“‘There are a great many points upon which it is impossible for the Comédie to give MM. the authors anything but une côte mal taillée (in lump, without detail)’.
“‘What I require very much more than money,’ I replied, ‘is une côte bien taillée, an exact account, which may serve as a type or model for all future accounts and may bring at last peace between the actors and the authors.’
“‘I see,’ he said, ‘that you wish to open a quarrel with the Comédie.’
“‘On the contrary, Monsieur, nothing would please me so much as to be able to terminate everything to the equal advantage of both parties.’ And he took back the money.”
Three days later Beaumarchais sent a polite note explaining why he returned the money, and clearly stating the nature of the account which he demanded. Receiving no reply, he wrote again, in the most courteous way, reminding them of their negligence.
The Comédie then sent a simple memorandum, “following the usages observed by us with Messieurs, les auteurs,” which was without signature.
Beaumarchais at once returned the memorandum, thanking the comedians for their pains, but begging that the memorandum be verified and signed.
Receiving no reply, three days later he sent a second missive, in which he assumed that his first letter had gone astray. “I beg you,” he added, “to enlighten me as to this matter and send me your account certified. The messenger has orders to wait.” And he ends thus, “I am ill. I have been forbidden all serious affairs for several days; I profit by this forced leisure to occupy myself with this which is not serious at all.”
For the Comédie, however, it was, to say the least, a serious embarrassment. They replied that it was impossible to verify the account except for the receipt taken at the door, “the other elements can only be guessed at.”