Schlesinger's, listening to my employer's very trivial
conversations with his callers--conversations which he seemed
purposely to protract--I reappeared under the windows of my home
long after dark, utterly unsuccessful. I saw Minna looking
anxiously from one of the windows. Half expecting my misfortune
she had, in the meantime, succeeded in borrowing a small sum of
our lodger and boarder, Brix, the flute-player, whom we tolerated
patiently, though at some inconvenience to ourselves, as he was a
good-natured fellow. So she was able to offer me at least a
comfortable meal. Further help was to come to me subsequently,
though at the cost of great sacrifices on my part, owing to the
success of one of Donizetti's operas, La Favorita, a very poor
work of the Italian maestro's, but welcomed with great enthusiasm
by the Parisian public, already so much degenerated. This opera,
the success of which was due mainly to two lively little songs,
had been acquired by Schlesinger, who had lost heavily over
Halevy's last operas.

Taking advantage of my helpless situation, of which he was well
aware, he rushed into our rooms one morning, beaming all over
with amusing good-humour, called for pen and ink, and began to
work out a calculation of the enormous fees which he had arranged
for me! He put down: 'La Favorita, complete arrangement for
pianoforte, arrangement without words, for solo; ditto, for duet;
complete arrangement for quartette; the same for two violins;
ditto for a Cornet a piston. Total fee, frcs. 1100. Immediate
advance in cash, frcs. 500.' I could see at a glance what an
enormous amount of trouble this work would involve, but I did not
hesitate a moment to undertake it.