Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-07-02
The Counterfeit Actress.
IRON THE FRENCH.

The heroine Of this story is Armandc Bcart,
daughter Of the celebrated Elizabeth Bejart
an actress so fascinating that MOlierc, the great
dramatic author, when youth, left his pro-
icSss;0n Of the law to follow her, and at last
Joined her HOUl'C, solely for the sake of being
near her, and she eventually became his mis-
trcss. This beauty, according to all appear
ance, determined the dramatic vocation of
Molierc; but her daughter made this great
man pay dearly for the fatal gift OF glory by
her numerous infidelitics. Among other
hearts, she one day pierced that of Presi-
dent Of tho Parliament Of GrcnOblc, named
Iandcllc, who, having como to Paris for
short visit, had seen her play at the theater Of
the IIOtOl Gucngaud, in the principal part of
the Opcrn Of Circc. This honest magistrate,
whose pure and candid soul had as yet paid
homage only TO Thcmis. had no sooner cast
his eyes ON this pcrfidiOus enchantrcss, and
heard her siren voice, than, fascinated by so
many charms, he was seized in reality by the
oclirium in which the cunning m6gicipnne
had plunged, in his presence, the companions
Of Ulysses.
Returning home with his head on fire, and
llis heart III cOInmOtiOD, the poor magistrate
dreamed all night only Of MadcmoisclIc Mo-
lIcre. On the morrow he thought Of her all
day ai!d at evening, Urged by an Irresistible
power, he returned to the Hotel Guengand,
when the beautiful c0mCittHHc was tO appear
in the opera 0f Ihetis ri Pchc This time,
instead Of simple ticket for the pit, lc took
!: place on the ba"q"cttcs near the stage, that
hc might be able to CONT mplatc more at his
case the object Of his alteration. Bcjart made
her tHtTCe surrounded by chubby tritons and
| 1tI.ifh
she sllOnc like pearl within the rough shell
which serves as its prison. She wore q robe
Of sca.grccn, garnishCd with ornaments of
coral aud garlands of shells, and her dress
was Of gauzc so delicate and SO Transparent
that it seemed as if the limpid wave formed
the only garment Of the goddess II the phil
tcrs Of CiTce had the night before inflicted
fatal blow on the reason of our president, at
the aspect Of Thctis and her aquatic empire
it was decidedly shipwrcckcd. During the
whole course Of the representation he did not
cease ~ dcvOur In Molicrc with his eyes, and
to cast on her his most scntiIHcntal ganccs
whenever chance or the exigcmcics Of the play
made the actress turn towards him. But he
had Mt the same time the grief OF rcmarking
that this was lost trouble, and that the beau.
tiful Thctis did not accord him the slightest
notice.
Our president was, however, not disenchant-
cd. lie repaired to the theatre evening after
evening, timidly essaying to attract the Ntten-
tion Of the coqucttsh and light cometlicnne,
but apparently without the slightest success.
One evening, when tho unfortunate Lam
dele had as usual wasted his ammunition OF
glances, and was pitifully making his exit from
the theatre. seriously contemplating tho pro-
ject Of putting an end to his martyrdOm by an
immersion in the river Seine, woman wear.
ing velvet mask, and carefully enveloped in
an ample cloak Of taffety, passed near him, and
lightly touching him with her elbow, delicate.
ly let fall into the hat which he held in his
hand little note. The president started, and
stopped short. BY the pale glcam Of the Ian
tern which lighted the steps Of the theatre he
thought he recognised, beneath the mantle,
the form Of Malcmoiscllc Molicrc.
Trembling like leaf, and staggering like o
drunken man, he dragged himself beneath the
dubious luminary Of the pcristylc, and there
leaning ngainst the wall, unscalcd, with an ag-
itatcd hand, the billet which had Just been
given him: it exhaled n strong otor of amber,
and contained the single word, "Hope"
President Landcllc rubbed his eyes, as ifhc
feared he was not thoroughly awake, read the
billet % second time, looked with bcwildcrcd
air at tho crowd which continued to flow out
beneath the pcriStylc fthc theatre; then, hav-
ing assured himself by all these evidences that
he was not asleep, hc walked towards his lodg-
ings by route ~ circuitous that il was near.
ly eleven o'clock when he reached them. There
he threw himself into the arms Of his land
lord, stammcring words so incohcrcnt that
the worthy man thought his lodgcr had Ger.
tainly lost his senses.
Thic .-no Ia
the next morning, President I.andcllc sent for
clOthicr and purchased fine suit cmbroi
dcrcd with gold, in which he dressed himself
that cycving to go to the theatre. Thus atlorn-
cd hc bowed low as the actress entered upOn
the stage, and made little gesture with the
hand which was intended to say" Here am
!, full of hope; think of me-" But, singular
to relate, the abstractcd actress did not, or
would not sec this ingenious pantomimc; she
did not even cast glance ON her adOrer, and,
genuine or pretended, this Cntirc indifference
lasted throughout the play, precisely rs it had
done on all previous occasions.
"By Justinian!" said the astonishcd magis-
tratc to himself, as he left tho theatre, " this
is pleasant! What! not gcsturc--nOt
glance Not tho least smile, after such bill
let! And yet, il she be not in lovO with me,
what does it mcanH Decidedly, it is enough
to drive one mad"
AS he was engaged in this incohcrcnt soil.
oqny, he felt gentle pull at the skirts Of his
scarlet cont. lie hastily turned, and found
himself face TO face with a woman-not the
ono Of the evening before, but another, smaller
and much older, to judge by the mature en-
JomI'0imt Of her form.
Handsome cavalier" said the duCnnG to
the magistrate, "do not walk so fast one
would think you wished to avoid receiving
messages from the lady Of whom you are in.
pursuit"
"What do you mean, madam ?" replied the
president, singularly surprised, and once more
hoping; shave you any message for mcY"
" Perhaps so. my gentleman; did you not
receive billet last EVENING""
"a bilct!-Ycs. Wcll!"
"a billet, in which you wcro told to hopc!"
"ICS What thcny"
"Wcll; the lady who wrote it will grant
you an interview Tomorrow"
is it possiblc And where, prayP"
"At my house."
restore mo to li(c."
" But do not know, indeed, whether I
ought to consent to it. am not rich ! have
only my reputation, and if it should be
known y
ais that ALP" interrupted tho president,
who, at these words, seized the clue Of tho nc
gotiation. " Here, my good woman, take all
have about me-"
And he drew from the pocket of his vest
dozen louis, which passed from his hand into