The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-11-14
Dernhardt and a story About Rachel
A writer in the Sunday SIM relates til,

Dernhardt and story About Rachel.
A writer in the Sunday SIN relates the
following:
When she Sarah Bernhardt) finally left
the convent, her arms full of prize books
and her head bowling down beneath the
weight of paper crowns and tinsel wreaths,
the family legend says that, being asked
what she intended to do in life, she said in
tone of ardent faiths a. wish to become
num-" Then, seeing the astonishment that
this avOwal had created, she added "Unless
/ become an actress.'
1t was then that It was decided that she
should be sent to the Conservative, the
national school of music, defamation, and
singing. The instruction at the Conserva-
toire is gratuitous, but every pupil is bound,
when he has completed his studies, to hold
himself at the disposal of the Minister of
Fine Arts, and to contract, according to his
Orders, an engagement with one of the thea
tres that are snbpsntiQned by the State-the
Opera, Opera Comique, Theatre FRANCHISE, or
OdGon. The State theatre thus have the pick
of the pupils of the Conservatoire. In order
to enter the school each candidate has to
pass preliminary examination. He chooses
some piece which le sings or recites before
the jury. The mother OF Sarah Rernhardt
was unfamiliar with tile customs of the Con-
servatoire. Her daughter could rccite Fon-
taine's fable of the "Deux Pigeons" and
she thought that was enough. The young
girl-she was then barely fourteen years of
age-stepPed forward before the terrible
jury. But she had hardly said;
"Deun pigeons s'afmaient glamour tendre,"
when Auber, who was then director, mo-
toned to her to stop. Then, as Francesque
Sarcey relates, he said: Enough, enough ;
come here, petite" The child approached
with bold and confident air. She was
pale, thin little creature, but her eyes had
that limpid and profound green light that
characterizes Northern women, and her ply
siognomy was sparkling with Intelligence.
"Your name is Sarah p
"Yes, Monsieur"
"Yon are n Jewess p
"By birth, yes, Monsieur. Rut | have
been baptized.''
"She has been baptized" said Auber,
turning to his colleagues. at would have
| been pity if such pretty child had not
| been baptized. She has recited her fable of
the Deux Pigeons very nicely. We must
admit her."
| And SO she was admitted to the Conserva-
toire in 1858; but as all the pupils ut that
school are day pupils, she continued to live
at home with her mother, who, IL must be
remembered, had had twelve children, and
in whose strange life poverty predominated.
When Sarah was going to the Conservative
her mother used to give her only six sous n
day To pay her omnibus. Sarah said moth
ing, but, with a droll instinct of innate
! luxury, she did not take the.Omnibus, but
saved up the sous until she had enough to
pay for cab, and then she rode up to the
COnservatOire In state. The reader may re-
member the anecd0te that Rachel tells abnut
herself in Alfred do Ausset's exquisite piece
of poetic stsnography, "Un Souper chez
Mile. Rachel" how in the old days before
she became famous she used to do the mar
keting, and for q whole month she robbed
her good mother. When she had spent four
sous she reckoned five, and when she had
spent ten sous she reckoned twelve. At the
end Of the month she was in possession OF
the three francs. "And what did you do
with thosc three francs, Mademoiselle 2''
asks Alfred DO Musset, severely. Then hel
mother, seeing that Rachel il silent, replies
Monsieur, she bought the works Of M6iiore
with them" Indeed" says De Musset
"Ma .tos, yes" says Rachel. 81 alread,
had Cornoille and Racl,ine; wanted {
Moliere. bought one with my three francs
and then confessed my crime"