the number of bouquets showered on her, and that she thinks she remembers having been recalled "seven hundred thousand times." The Empress gave her a splendid pair of ear-rings; several of the box and stall holders joined together to make her an offering of a wonderful diamond and ruby bracelet. The Grand Duchess Hélène sent her a magnificent Indian shawl, "Ah! Madame, ma mère," she wrote, "comme ce châle-la fera bien sur vos épaules!" The receipts on the evening of her "benefit" amounted to more than twenty thousand francs. She gave fifteen thousand to be divided amongst the theatrical people and the poor. This, and acting on several occasions for charity, made her immensely popular. She was overwhelmed with invitations to the best houses of the exclusive circles of St. Petersburg society, and the hotel where she was stopping was besieged with visitors; but, she concluded,—
It is time to put an end to all this. I wish to reserve all my energy to finish my six months at the Comédie Française. Moscow will be very brilliant; we shall become really too rich. They want me to return here next winter, but I promise nothing, although I will never re-enter the Comédie Française, were they to give me a hundred thousand francs for six months; and still I feel that it will be a sad wrench to separate from that dear little public who for sixteen years have been so good to me. I embrace you tenderly, also my father, my darling children, and my dear sisters.
It was not only on but also off the stage that Rachel enjoyed so great a success in St. Petersburg. The young nobles were all at her feet. At a dinner that was given her by a number of officers, they were discussing the chances of war between France and Russia.
"We will not say good-bye, but au revoir, Mademoiselle," said one of her hosts. "We hope soon to
