Auber wrote a cadenza for the "Rossignol" of Alabieff, which he thought
might be in nightingale style. But how can any one imitate a nightingale?
Auber, in one of his letters, asked me: "Chantez-vous toujours des duos
avec votre maitre de... champs?"

[Illustration: A MADAME LILLIE MOULTON]


PARIS, _January, 1864._

The Princess Beauvau is a born actress, and nothing she loves better than
arranging theatricals and acting herself. She rooted up some charity as an
excuse for giving a theatrical performance, and obtained the theater of
the Conservatoire and the promise of the Empress's presence. She chose two
plays, one of Musset and the other, "l'Esclave," of Moliere--and asked me
to take part in this last one.

"Oh," I said, "I cannot appear in a French play; I would not dare to." But
the Princess argued that, as there were only four words to say, she
thought I could do it, and in order to entice me to accept, she proposed
introducing a song; and, moreover, said that she would beg Auber to
furnish a few members of the Conservatoire orchestra to accompany me. This
was very tempting, and I fell readily into the trap she laid for me.

I consulted Auber about my song, and we decided on Alabieff's "Rossignol,"
for which he had written the cadenza. He composed a chorus for a few
amateurs and all the orchestral parts.

I was to be a Greek slave; my dress was of white, flimsy, spangled gauze,
with a white-satin embroidered bolero, a turban of tulle, with all sorts