possible to give a favourable account of her acting in Roxane. Poor Rachel sobbed bitterly; Janin did all he could to console her, but insisted that she should not appear in the part again.
"On this point we were not agreed," Védel tells us. "'I accept all the responsibility,' I said to him; 'the rôle was chosen by me, therefore blame ought to rest on me alone, and I am prepared to bear the brunt of defeat.' We left him, very ill-pleased with the result of our visit. I felt convinced, however, that Rachel would remain firm under the rebuff. We had hardly got into the cab before I said, 'Never mind, my child, no hesitation; and in spite of all you have just heard, Bajazet the day after to-morrow.'
"Conquered, at least apparently, by my pertinacity, Rachel promised to accede to my wishes. I took her home and returned to the theatre.
"At 4 o'clock Félix was announced. He informed me, with the greatest determination, that his daughter should not play Bajazet the next day.
"'Why?' I asked.
"'Because I have made up my mind not to allow it.'
"'You forget, Monsieur, that under the terms of her engagement. Mademoiselle Rachel has bound herself to appear in all her parts, according to the orders of the director.'
"'I repeat,' he said, 'that she shall not act.'
"'I warn you, Monsieur, that the second representation of Bajazet will be announced for the day after to-morrow; and you may be sure that if Mademoiselle Rachel is not in her dressing-room by 6 o'clock on the evening of that day, I will give the public back their money, assigning as a reason the
