As though his position was not already difficult enough, Christophe chose that moment to quarrel with his publisher. He had no reason at all to complain of Hecht, who published each new work as it was written, and was honest in business. It is true that his honesty did not prevent his making contracts disadvantageous to Christophe: but he kept his contracts. He kept them only too well. One day Christophe was amazed to see a septette of his arranged as a quartette, and a suite of piano pieces clumsily transcribed as a duet, without his having been consulted. He rushed to Heeht's office and thrust the offending music under his nose, and said:
"Do you know these?"
"Of course," said Hecht.
"And you dared … you dared tamper with my work without asking my permission!…"
"What permission?" said Hecht calmly. "Your compositions are mine."
"Mine, too, I suppose?"
"No," said Hecht quietly.
Christophe started.
"My own work does not belong to me?"
"They are not yours any longer. You sold them to me."