Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-09-17
GOmmuaifatfo.
sIadsmoiselIe rachel.

A ~ Mademoiseiie Rachel.
Ezt,aet from the unpublished n.snoi,s az Als AL
i get''gss Of Or. Ksrons aork--'' Ls toalsgsois 4
II PARIS"
/ On fine Summer evening, on the 18th o.
June, 1888, as ! was looking for shade and
solitude, (yous may find the one and the other
even in Paris, if you look carefully, stop
ped in the Theatre Francois.
II was then between 8 and 9 o'clock in the
evening. There were four persons present
at the orchestra. was the fifth one. NV
eyes were attracted uponthe stage bya strange
physiognomy, full of expression, with promi
nent forehead and a black eye, concealed nnder
fiery orbit; all that planted upon slender
body, somewhat elegantin position, movements,
and posture. A thrilling and sympathetic
voice Of the first diapason, and, above all,
very intelligent, changed the disposition of my
unattentive mind, then rather inclined to lazi-
ness than to admiration. That strange physi-
ognomy, fiery eye, slender body-that voice
SO intelligent, was Mile RACHEL. She was
! playing for her first debut the part of Camilla
! in Horace.
The deep and quick impression produced
upon me by this ngtragedienne awoke in my
mind confused remembrances of the past. Hav-
ing interrogatedm my memory, / recollected sin
gular face, playing the part of La Vendeenne,
to the Gymnase; recollected also, young
girl poorly clothed, with coarse shoes, who, be.
ing interrogated before me, in the lobbies of
the hall, upon her business, answered, to my
great surprise, with basso voice, and seri-
GUS air - pursue my studies.n / recognized
in Mademoselle Rachel that singular physiog-
nomy of the Gym,ldse that Young, poorly
dressed girl who pursued her studiesn
Pity for those persons insensble to fine arts,
and who have no hatred or no admiration, for
themi paintings, statues, monuments, singers,
comedians, or tragedians of both sexes--I hate
or admire. Young Rachel astonished me her
talent inspired me with passion. took hold
OF my friend Merle, for was, like him, carried
away by the same literary taste, and obliged
him to attend to the debuts of the one whom /
already called q /" little PRODIGY "When the
twelve or fifteen hundred fine spirits who man.
ufacture public opinion in Paris, shall have
listened to that child, when they will have
judged her, she will be the glory and fortune Of
the French comedy.
left the opera in 1888; the talent and sue
cess of my tragedienne became fixed idea and
. business with me. Before greeting my ac,
quaintances and friends, ! asked Have you
seen her in Horace and Andromayue? The
most part of them did not know of whom ]
was speaking. | was about flying into pas.
sion, and spared neither reproaches nor even
familiar abuses to their ignorance. The Joys
and pleasures of my summer of 1888 were
secured; my emotions, as . customer OF the
French theatre, were taking the place of the
| pleasures Of a country seat, of the incidents
and wonders Of my usual travels. saFf
During all the month of July made yery
few converts to my worship, though Made
moiselle RACHEL played the parts of Camilla
Emi7ia, Hermione. The apostles of that new
divinity we're preaching in the wilderness.
However, Notwithstanding the effect of the
canicular days, her debuisin August were better
attended. When the house was about full |
wiped my forehead, and ike the fly Of the
coach, said to myself with proud saiisfac-
ton, "Mademoiselle Rachel and ], we will be
right with the public. Here are people who
have common sense" 20 N sa~is b
At last, during the month Of October, the
young tragedenne played nine times, and the
lowest receipts were 1869 francs, tabout eight
hundred dollars.)1 At the representation of
Hermione, the receipts were above 5000 francs,
twelve hundred dollars. This was complete
victory, stunning triumph. Racine and Cor
nellie were revived among us, as in the great
century Of Louis XIV. A feverish popularity
surrounded the young tragedienne and the old
tragedy. rs 80
~ When a child, Miss Rachel, already a pupil
IN the conservatory, solicited the private les
sons Of a justly renowned artistic, Mr.. Provost,
of the French comedy. When The celebrated
teacher saw the suffering and weakly young
girl--fgo and sell bouquets, my child, said he.
Young Hermione revenged herself with the
most charming grace OF the disdainful re
fnsal of that bad prophet. The house was full,
boxes were occupied by the upper-tendom;
Miss Rachel had just played Hermione. En-.
thusiastic applauses, frantic calls, showers of
bouquets followed the fall Of the curtain. Then
filing up her Grecian tunic with flowers scat
tered above the stage, she ran 10 him who
had advised her to sell bouquets, and kneeling
at his feet with the most gracious coquetry:
al followed your advice, Monsieur Provost, /
sell bouquets; will you buy some from me?"
The learned teacher, smiling helped the, cele-
hrated artistic 10 rise from his feet, and mani
tested his Joy at having so completely mistaken
her.
Soon the celebrity Of Miss Rachel went from
the fine flower Of aristocracy and competent
judges, down in the thick of the people.
In October, 1893, ! occupied, in Ter
street. large first story apartment with = oar.
den. was persuaded r. - 1--WE bali 10 NV for.
mer pensionarieess Of the,opera. MN. Taglioni.
Faiccn, Elssler, Dumilatre, met at nv house
with MN. Mars, Rose, Duperis, and Dupont.
II was an artistic festival One Of my witty
friends, an habitue of the French, theatre, had
engaged himself to invite, in my name, NJ
Rachel, Mr.. Samson, bis teacher and Mistress
Felix, her mother It was for the FIRST time,
according to her own words, that the young
tragedienne was setting her foot in drawing
room, and her entrance caused the most SYM
pathetic surprise. She was dressed in white,
without flowers or jewels. In the world or in
private, the tragic mask Of Miss Rachel gives
way to the most gracious and smiling face
Hermione was wonder Of tact, wit, and good
manners; Hermione did not dance.
Soon after, the press, big and small news.
papers, were almost exclusively filed mp with
the doings Of that bright and charming star,
who had poured floods Of light upon the grey
and cool sky Of the tragedy in the French the
atre. s