The Director was most
complimentary to the young actress and asked what role she would care
to choose for her debut. Esperance proclaimed her preference for
"_Dona Sol_" in _Hernani_ or "_Camille_" in "_On ne badine pas
avec
l'amour_."
Her heart was filled with emotion as she was leaving the great house
of which in future she would be a part. The Place du Carrousel, the
perspective of the Tuileries, and the Champs Elysees seemed more
beautiful than ever before. The passers-by were charming. Everything,
everywhere, spoke only of happiness and hope.
"Mama, dear mama, I am so happy."
PART III. THE COUNTRY
CHAPTER XVI
After the recent excitement at the Conservatoire, following the
competition, Esperance was delighted to act upon the Doctor's advice
to leave Paris. Doctor Potain had told the philosopher that it was
absolutely imperative that his daughter should have two or three
months of absolute quiet. He suggested the mountains; but Esperance
would have none of them. She loved far horizons and vast plains, but
her real choice was the sea. So it was decided that the family should
go to their little farm at Belle-Isle-en-Mer.
"You must go immediately," the Doctor commanded, "and to begin with
you must have two weeks' complete repose, in the sun, in a comfortable
reclining chair."
Esperance was beside herself with joy. To see the pretty farm again
nestling in its circle of tall tamarisks, to dream for hours by the
seaside, to breathe the breath of furze and seaweed! The windows of
her room overlooked the land on one side, and on the other she had
wild ocean, studded with black rocks gleaming under the sea's
caresses.
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