On the 14th November 1843, when only fourteen years of age, Rebecca appeared at the Odéon, in the rôle of Chimène in the Cid, in which her brother Raphaël, aged eighteen, played with her (also his first appearance), in the character of Rodrigue. Rachel afterwards obtained her an engagement at the Français, where, on the 1st July 1845, she appeared in the rôle of Palmyre in Mahomet. Rachel made her act with her in her classic parts first, and then, a little later, she took her as partner in Angelo, where the young girl appeared at her best. She was blonde and rather below the middle height; without being pretty, she had a pleasing expression, and her voice was agreeable, although wanting in power. She formed a good contrast to her "great sister."
The following is a letter Rachel wrote to her, when absent, preparing her for a performance of Bajazet, in which they were to act together:—
My dear little Friend and Sister,
I must say you do fulfil your duty of love; I am very much touched by your attention, because I love you so much; I am delighted at your progress, and hope—(wait, I am coming!)—that when I return we will march forward with gigantic strides, and that we will surpass all past and future débutantes. I am bringing a very pretty "canezou" from Nancy for my little comrade, and two pairs of warm cuffs.
Be sure you are ready for your rôle in Athalie. I intend shortly to act Bajazet; we will study it together, and it is in that I like to think of the progress you have made. You have plenty of intelligence, my child, but you want confidence in yourself. Come, my comrade, be courageous and hopeful! the future will justify all my predictions.
The future! Alas, poor Rachel! could she but have torn aside the veil that hid it from her sight, she would have seen Rebecca dying by inches of that cruel disease that carried her off also in turn. A fortnight after the above letter to her little sister from
