o you that will not displease you."--"Very good:
tell it me to-morrow at breakfast." The next day they breakfasted, as
our hero always breakfasted in those days, on truffles and champagne.
Harel's proposition was this: "My project is to diminish your salary
one-half."--"What!" cried Lemaitre in very natural surprise, "are you
mocking me?"--"The theatre is on the verge of bankruptcy," pleaded
Harel.--"How can that be? I have earned more than a million francs for
it. What the devil do you do with your money?"--"My dear fellow," quoth
Harel, "what do you do with yours?"--"Ah! that's different: I have no
account to give to anybody but myself."--"But come, let us not get
angry," said Harel: "I will continue to pay you the whole sum, while
appearing to give you but half of it. In this way I shall be at liberty
to cut down the other salaries, and the theatre can go on." Lemaitre
arose, looked Harel straight in the eyes, and answered, "You have the
secret of sobering a man by a single phrase. So you think me capable--"
Harel interrupted him hurriedly, not relishing the angry light in the
actor's eyes: "No, no--not at all: I was joking."--"Ah, you were joking?
_Eh bien_, your joke is a horribly bad one. Pray don't repeat it."

Lemaitre was not deceived by the manager's sudden change of base. Three
days afterward he revenged himself by a cutting bit of sarcasm. It was
in Harel's own office. A young and well-dressed man presented himself,
carrying a roll of manuscript. At sight of Lemaitre he drew back
modestly, but Harel bade him remain, and asked him if he brought a
drama. "Yes," answered the young man.--"Your own?"--"Yes."--"Then you
have a reputation, doubtless?"--"No, it is my first piece."--"Ah," said
the manager, who had taken note of the fact that the young author was
far from shabby-looking, "in that case you are no doubt aware of the
conditions. The essential thing with us managers always is to raise the
receipts over the expenses."--"I understand that, sir."--"We prudent
managers are obliged to refuse the pieces of all authors who have not
yet achieved success, unless they will guarantee us the expenses that
the rehearsal of the piece will entail upon us."--"That is my
intention," was the young man's reply.--"Then we shall be able to
understand each other. Your piece is in five acts?"--"In three,
sir."--"Five acts would not have cost you a sou more." The conversation
continued in this strain until the young author had si