The English players meanwhile had fulfilled engage-
ments in the chief towns of France. They had per-
formed at Rouen and Havre, reappearing in Paris on
their way to Orleans, Blois, and Bordeaux. Miss Smith-
son had obtained from Mr. Price, the manager of Drury
Lane, permission to defer her return to his theatre : her
success in France had been so prodigious. But it was
now charged against the lady that she had become too
conscious of her own merits ; that, convinced of her
powers of attraction, she demanded of Abbott, the
manager, very exorbitant terms for her services, equal,
it was said, indeed, to the combined salaries of the
whole company. Serious disagreement ensued ; in pro-
vincial France the English strollers suffered from lack
of patronage. It became at last necessary to disband
the company. The majority of the actors, in a some-
what necessitous condition, made their way back to



76 HOURS WITH THE PLAYERS,

London as best they could. Poor Abbott died some
years afterwards under distressing circumstances, neg-
lected and forgotten, in America* Miss Smithson re-
turned to Paris. Confident of the fidelity of her friends
and devotees, she hoped to establish there a permanent
English theatre. It was the moment also of Berlioz's
reappearance in Paris; and, moved by an "impulsion
secrete," he had secured lodgings in the house No. i,
Rue Neuve Saint Marc, formerly occupied by Miss
Smithson. He found himself under the same roof with
her. He had been wholly without tidings of her. He
did not know whether she was in France or England,
Scotland or America. Was not this curious unforeseen
meeting an argument for belief in magnetic influences,
secret affinities, " entrainements myst^rieux du coeur?"
He was now formally presented to the lady. She at-
tended one of his concerts, at which was performed
his monodrame of "Lelio," the second part of the
" Episode de la Vie d'un Artiste," Bocage delivering,
with great animation, the speeches contrived by the
composer as expressions of his passion for the actress.
