young princes, who, when he heard of the destruction of the opera protested vigorously.
"What," said he, "you have burnt your beautiful opera. You are a fool to have given way to so gloomy a priest and to have destroyed so much music!"
"Don't get angry," whispered the sick man, "I knew what I was about; I have another copy of it laid away."
Unfortunately, the recovery was not permanent and Lulli suffered a relapse. He was now told that it was impossible for him to recover. Again he sent for the priest and this time delivered to him the remaining copy of the opera and begged forgiveness for his deceit.
The priest prescribed as penance that he should be laid on a heap of ashes with a cord around his neck! Lulli gladly submitted and died happy.
257.—AN ERRATIC PRIMA DONNA.
One of the "freaks" of the operatic stage was a lady who was before the public in the time of Lulli, and who bore the name of Madam La Maupin. This versatile lady was given to all sorts of questionable pranks, such as would hardly be tolerated in the present century.
Having secretly learned the art of fencing, she proceeded to seek an opportunity to put her skill to use. She declared a certain opera singer had insulted her; and, donning male attire, she lay in wait for him as he left the theater one night, and challenged him to draw his sword and defend himself. But the fellow was a coward and refused to fight; so she demanded his money and jewelry and then gave him a sound thrashing. The next day when this brave gentleman was boasting to some friends how he had been attacked by three robbers and how he had put them to flight, she coolly produced the plunder and told the whole story.
When only sixteen, this adventuress ran off from her husband and proceeded with a new admirer to Marseilles, where she appeared on the stage in masculine attire; and
