for some time.

Having failed everywhere, I now turned to Meyerbeer for more
introductions, especially to singers. I was very much surprised
when, in consequence of my request, Meyerbeer introduced me to a
certain M. Gouin, a post-office official, and Meyerbeer's sole
agent in Paris, whom he instructed to do his utmost for me.
Meyerbeer specially wished me to know M. Antenor Joly, director
of the Theatre de la Renaissance, the musical theatre already
mentioned. M. Gouin, with almost suspicious levity, promised me
to produce my opera Liebesverbot, which now only required
translation. There was a question of having a few numbers of my
opera sung to the committee of the theatre at a special audience.
When I suggested that some of the singers of this very theatre
should undertake to sing three of the numbers which had been
already translated by Dumersan, I was refused on the plea that
all these artists were far too busy. But Gouin saw a way out of
the difficulty; on the authority of Maitre Meyerbeer, he won over
to our cause several singers who were under an obligation to
Meyerbeer: Mme. Dorus-Gras, a real primadonna of the Grand Opera,
Mme. Widmann and M. Dupont (the two last-named had previously
refused to help me) now promised to sing for me at this audience.

This much, then, did I achieve in six months. It was now nearly
Easter of the year 1840. Encouraged by Gouin's negotiations,
which seemed to spell hope, I made up my mind to move from the
obscure Quartier des Innocents to a part of Paris nearer to the
musical centre; and in this I was encouraged by Lehrs' foolhardy
advice.