“Monsieur Robert-Houdin,” he said to me, “you are well known in London; come and perform at the St. James’ Theatre, and I have every reason to believe you will be successful. Besides, we shall be equally interested, for we will share the gross receipts, and I will pay all the expenses. You will perform alternately with my Opéra Comique, that is to say, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and you will begin, if you please, on the 7th of May next, or a month from to-day.”
These conditions appearing to me very acceptable, I may add, most advantageous, I agreed to them most readily. Mitchell, then, offered me his hand, I gave him mine, and this friendly sanction was the only agreement we made for this important affair. Though there was no forfeit on either side, no arrangement or signature, never was a bargain better cemented.
From that time, during all my long connection with Mitchell, I had many occasions of appreciating all the value of his word. I may say loudly that he is one of the most conscientious managers I ever had dealings with. In addition, Mitchell adds an extreme affability, and a remarkable degree of generosity and disinterestedness to the merit of keeping his word. Under all circumstances, he will be found to act as a perfect gentleman, and one of the most brilliant qualities he possesses as manager, is his courteous behavior to his performers. The following instance will serve as a proof:
Jenny Lind was singing at Her Majesty’s Theatre on the same evenings I performed at St. James’s, so that, despite all the wish I felt to go and hear her, I could not make up my mind to sacrifice a performance for this attractive pleasure. However, in consequence of a circumstance too lengthy to detail here, I happened to find myself free on one of the nights when Jenny Lind sang. I must add that, besides managing the St. James’s Theatre, Mitchell had hired a certain number of boxes at Her Majesty’s by the year, and, according to the English custom, let them out to the highest bidders. It happened at times that all the tickets were not sold, and in that case Mitchell gave them to a few privileged friends. I was aware of this circumstance, and intended to ask him a similar favor for this evening.
At the moment I was going out to seek my manager, he came into my room.
“By Jove, my dear Mitchell,” I said to him, “I was just going to prefer a request to you.”
“Whatever it may be, my dear friend,” he replied, politely, “be assured it will be willingly heard.”
And when I explained to him what I wanted,
“Good Heavens! Houdin,” he said, in a tone of real annoyance, “how unlucky you should ask that of me.”
“Why so?” I replied, in the same tone; “if it is not possible, my dear friend, pray let me withdraw my request.”