Although no attempts were made on my liberty, I suffered numerous
insults; and even my life was in danger. The musicians of the opera
orchestra humanely resolved to murder me as I went out of the theater.
Of this I received information; but the only effect it produced on
me was to make me more assiduously attend the opera; and I did not
learn, until a considerable time afterwards, that M. Ancelot,
officer in the mousquetaires, and who had a friendship for me, had
prevented the effect of this conspiracy by giving me an escort, which,
unknown to myself, accompanied me until I was out of danger. The
direction of the opera-house had just been given to the Hotel de
Ville. The first exploit performed by the Prevot des Marchands, was to
take from me my freedom of the theater, and this in the most uncivil
manner possible. Admission was publicly refused me on my presenting
myself, so that I was obliged to take a ticket that I might not that
evening have the mortification to return as I had come. This injustice
was the more shameful, as the only price I had set on my piece when
I gave it to the managers was a perpetual freedom of the house; for
although this was a right common to every author, and which I
enjoyed under a double tide, I expressly stipulated for it in presence
of M. Duclos. It is true, the treasurer brought me fifty louis, for
which I had not asked; but, besides the smallness of the sum
compared with that which, according to the rules established in such
cases, was due to me, this payment had nothing in common with the
right of entry formally granted, and which was entirely independent of
it.
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