This was the very slightest of consolations to me, however. And for now, the only person from my past I could find who seemed clearly intent on my destruction was me. That one seemingly harmless lie I had told to Verdi continued to hurtle through Paris, leaving a trail of rumor and chaos in its wake.
I was determined to at least stop the damage to my reputation and to repair what I could of this life. Afraid of what I had done and what I might still do, I thought to cancel all of my social engagements and take to bed, where I could at least, perhaps, finally read the novel and not lie to anyone any further. But before I did so, I still wanted some further assurance that this composer Simonet had mentioned existed—if he was real, and the opera real, that alone could assure me this was not the trap I feared it was.
This all seemed quite impossible, though, without contacting Simonet. And as that lie had been inspired by Simonet’s own seemingly ridiculous confession to me—well, I mistrusted him and his novel even more.
Even worse, I had begun to believe he—and Madame Verdi—were right, and my little lie was the truth and, perhaps, always had been.
Doro opened the door then and brought in my tray. As she set it down, she asked if, as it was Thursday, I was to go to Madame Viardot’s as usual, for madame had written, her note was there on the tray, and if I was to go, what would I wear, would I dine in or out. . .
I cried out and hugged her, at which she protested and laughed, and left me to my breakfast and my note.
If Mondays were for Euphrosyne when I was in Paris, I usually saved a Thursday or a Sunday for my teacher, Pauline Viardot-García—the teacher the tenor brought me to study with in Baden-Baden. Pauline’s salon on Thursdays at her home on the rue de Douai in the ninth arrondissement was the most exciting of its kind in Paris and the most important. She lived with her husband, Louis Viardot, a former director of the Théatre-Italien and now an art historian, as well as her friend and intimate of many years, the writer Ivan Turgenev, the three of them living amicably together under one roof much as they had when I first met them. Together they attracted an audience of actors, singers, painters, composers, musicians, and writers. It was not uncommon to attend and find Delibes, Fauré, Brahms, Clara Schumann, and the newest genius or the oldest living one, not just in attendance, but singing, presenting, playing. Something about her put these talented and distinguished men and women at their ease and brought out their best performances. There was a very good chance that the Verdis or Simonet or even the protégé himself would be there. Whoever this man was, someone there would know, Pauline, I was sure, most of all.
Pauline’s note apologized for not being able to attend Faust, and she insisted I return to the salon the moment I could to perform for her.
I heard a story about you, several, actually. One is that you are leaving the stage and finally marrying our mutual tenor friend, which seems impossible, for you would not dare become engaged without both of you coming here with this news first, yes? Another is that you were a sensation at the Sénat Bal last week, with an impromptu Jewel Song in the garden. A sensation! This I believe. Perhaps you will repeat the sensation tonight? Come, and if you do intend to sing, wear some conspicuous jewels so that I will know at once.
I remain your teacher,
Pauline
She meant only one thing by her request. And so, dressed in my conspicuous jewels, I went.
§
On entering Pauline’s salon one passed through a gallery of painting masterpieces separated by red-velvet drapes that led to her astonishing Cavaillé-Coll pipe organ, installed along the far wall of the downstairs gallery like a throne for a queen—a queen who could also play music. The organ had been made for her so she could face her audience seated on a beautifully carved wooden pedestal and accompany herself on the organ as she sang. At the foot of this pedestal was a piano, and chairs were set out near this for any fellow musicians who were also to play. Rows of chairs in circles ringed this for the rest of us in attendance.