I mentioned this to La Noue, the
comedian, with whom I had become acquainted, and who, as everybody
knows, was a man of merit and an author. He was pleased with the
piece, and promised to get it performed without suffering the name
of the author to be known; and in the meantime procured me the freedom
of the theater, which was extremely agreeable to me, for I always
preferred it to the two others. The piece was favorably received,
and without the author's name being mentioned; but I have reason to
believe it was known to the actors and actresses, and many other
persons. Mademoiselles Gaussin and Grandval played the amorous
parts; and although the whole performance was, in my opinion,
injudicious, the piece could not be said to be absolutely ill
played. The indulgence of the public, for which I felt gratitude,
surprised me; the audience had the patience to listen to it from the
beginning to the end, and to permit a second representation without
showing the least sign of disapprobation. For my part, I was so
wearied with the first, that I could not hold out to the end; and
the moment I left the theater, I went into the Cafe de Procope,
where I found Boissi, and others of my acquaintance, who had
probably been as much fatigued as myself. I there humbly or
haughtily avowed myself the author of the piece, judging it as
everybody else had done. This public avowal of an author of a piece
which had not succeeded, was much admired, and was by no means painful
to myself.
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