The mistresses of the house had their own salon in those days, so we were sure to meet them. In my neighborhood, for example, there was the salon of the Trélats (Dr. Ulysse [and Marie] Trélat), and that of the Marquise de Blocqueville, daughter of Louis-Nicolas Davout. They naturally had very different political opinions; that of the Trélats was Republican—his father [also Ulysse] Trélat having been a minister in 1848. His son, having remained the friend of his father's political friendships and gifted with a great talent as an orator, campaigned against the Empire at its end. For example, he was very close to the two brothers Jules and Charles Ferry, a friend of Émile de Girardin, Ernest Renan, Léon Gambetta, and Jacques Bardoux (father of the senator [Agénor Bardoux]). His wife [Marie Trélat] was a consummate musician who played the piano perfectly and sang with great talent, though with only a small voice.

The salon was most interesting; every Monday evening there was dinner and a performance. Auguste Vaucorbeil, director of the Opéra, Agénor Bardoux, minister of public education, Émile de Girardin, Georges Bizet, and Camille Saint-Saëns met there regularly. As for me, I had only become acquainted with the Trélats when I was first appointed organist of Saint-Sulpice. Mme Trélat had come to see me there, announcing herself unassumingly and introducing me to the two Ferry brothers. To thank me for my welcome, she graciously invited me to come to her Monday evenings. I remember one particularly well, when Bizet played excerpts from Carmen, which he had not yet completed.

It was at the Trélats that I first met Vaucorbeil and Bardoux. I had put myself at the beck and call of Bardoux, a charming man, for several charity events. Vaucorbeil had composed one or two cantatas and several piano pieces that I had put under my fingers.