Although it was knocked about a good deal by the press, the work ran for more than forty performances.
Some were glad of the chance to seek a quarrel with our director who had played his last card and had arrived at the last month of his privilege. It was useless trouble on their part. Gailhard was shortly afterwards called upon to resume the managerial scepter of our great lyric stage. I found him there associated with E. Bertrand when Thaïs, of which I shall speak later, was put on.
Apropos of this, some verses of the ever witty Ernest Reyer come to mind. Here they are:
| Le Mage est loin, Werther est proche, |
| Et déjà Thaïs est sous roche; |
| Admirable fécondite ... |
| Moi, voilà dix ans que je pioche |
| Sur Le Capuchin enchanté. |
You may be astonished at never having seen this work of Reyer's played. Here is the theme as he told it, with the most amusing seriousness, at one of our monthly dinners of the Institute, at the excellent Champeaux restaurant, Place de Bourse.
First and Only Act!
The scene represents a public square; on the left the sign of a famous tavern. Enter from the right a Capuchin. He stares at the tavern door. He hesitates; then, finally, he decides to cross the threshold and closes the door. Music in the orchestra—if desired. Suddenly, the Capuchin comes out again—enchanted, assuredly enchanted by the cooking!
Thus the title of the work is explained; it has nothing to do with fairies enchanting a poor monk!
CHAPTER XIX
A NEW LIFE
The year 1891 was marked by an event which had a profound effect on my life. In the month of May of that year the publishing house of Hartmann went out of business.