The opera of 'Jephtha' was then new; he mentioned this piece, it was brought him, and he made me tremble by proposing to execute it between us.

He opened the book at that celebrated double chorus, La Terra, l'Enfer, le Ciel meme, Tout tremble devant le Seigneur! [The Earth, and Hell, and Heaven itself, tremble before the Lord!] He said, "How many parts will you take?
I will do these six." I had not yet been accustomed to this trait of French vivacity, and though acquainted with divisions, could not comprehend how one man could undertake to perform six, or even two parts at the same time.

Nothing has cost me more trouble in music than to skip lightly from one part to another, and have the eye at once on a whole division.

By the manner in which I evaded this trial, he must have been inclined to believe I did not understand music, and perhaps it was to satisfy himself in this particular that he proposed my noting a song for Mademoiselle de Menthon, in such a manner that I could not avoid it.

He sang this song, and I wrote from his voice, without giving him much trouble to repeat it.