Beforethesummerhadfairlybegun，strangerumoursbegantofloataboutinmusicalcircles。M。Maugewouldnolongermanagetheopera，butitwouldbeturnedintothehandsofAmericans，asyndicate。Bah!TheseEnglish—speakingpeoplecoulddonothingunlesstherewasatrust，asyndicate，acompanyimmenseanddishonest。Itwasgoingtobeaguaranteebusiness，withastrictlyfinancialbasis。Butworsethanallthis，thenewmanager，whowasnowinFrance，wouldnotonlyprocuretheartists，butaneworchestra，anewleader。M’sieuFortiergrewapprehensiveatthis，forheknewwhatthelossofhisplacewouldmeantohim。
SeptemberandOctobercame，andthepaperswerefilledwithaccountsofthenewartistsfromFranceandoftheneworchestraleadertoo。Hewasdescribedasamosttalented，progressive，energeticyoungman。M’sieuFortier’sheartsankattheword\"progressive。\"Hewasanythingbutthat。TheNewOrleansCreolebloodflowedtoosluggishlyinhisoldveins。
Novembercame；theoperareopened。M’sieuFortierwasnotre—engaged。
\"Minesse，\"hesaidwithacatchinhisvoicethatstronglyresembledasob，\"Minesse，wemus’gohongrysometime。Ah，monpauvreviolon!Ah，monDieu，deyputush’out，an’deywillnothaveus。Nev’min’，wewillsinganyhow。\"Anddrawinghisbowacrossthestrings，hesanginhisthin，quaveringvoice，\"Salutdemeure，chasteetpure。\"
Itisstrangewhatapeculiarpoweroffascinationformerhauntshaveforthehumanmind。Thecriminal，afterhehasfledfromjustice，stealsbackandskulksaboutthesceneofhiscrime；theemployeethrownfromworkhangsabouttheplaceofhisformerindustry；theschoolboy，truantorexpelled，peepsinattheschool—gateandtauntsthegoodboyswithin。M’sieuFortierwasnoexception。Nightafternightoftheperformancesheclimbedthestairsoftheoperaandsat，anattentivelistenertotheorchestra，withoneearinclinedtothestage，andaquizzicalexpressiononhiswrinkledface。Thenhewouldgohome，andpatMinesse，andfondletheviolin。