Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1865-06-27
syatipual gtpnblitau
Feyasau,s First Play--AsheoisisG Pic
ture Of purtntnm Society.


=--==---===- -
E.va..u,s Rsrut Play--Ashscistsg Pic
tore of Puristnn soclety.
The degeneration ofthe young men who
tread the alphate % the Boulevard or
sauuter along The side alleys OF the bole oe
Doulogne, has been the cnlef Preoecspe-
Rut none nave yentured llks Faydeau 70 give
an erac. representation Of certain OF those
amonQst them who are regarded with 20
much sdmlrntlon BY Foreigners, and looked
mon a. the glass OF fashion and the
mould Of form BY the ladies'. The duel
which took place between Russian ofiicer
an a French diplomatist during the i',cop-
otts etaV oftho Grand Duke Constantine In
Paris originated In the observation thought
10 be plsnderous at the time, but proved
entirely correct, according 70 Ernest Fey
deau,s novel. "Who are all these well
dressed aanssrs, and how do they llyeP'
"a a the Grand Duke, pointing 70 the
groups OF Saint Bertrands lollins on the
chsifs along the Champs Eiysecs. They
are tons Of good families, and, thank God,
will be fathers Of none; they all cheat At
cards and are kept by their mistresses."
The French Diplomat, who was in tho
Grand Dukes carriage a. the moment, I'm
medIately Jumped out. he thought, per-
haps, like Moutroud, "that no dishonor
lies In the diahonorHblo act, but only In
being told Of h.n BE challenged the &C.
cuser andwonnded him; butbefore the grand
Duke left Paris he had grounds 81 belief In
the truth Of the accusation, for the very
0aInt Bertrand Of Feydeau's tale was de-
tected cheating at cards In one OF the high
est saloas Of The capital; and tho il-spont
letter which conveyed the bank notes,
rofundlng the money uniustly wen, with
a prayer for pardon written BY his mis-.
tress, touching In he oarnestness but gro.
tetque In its spelling, forms at the present
moment the brightest ornament Of the
Grand Dukes album, whore he loves 70
show Il % specimen ofthe moral state Of
Paris. The French law, which, according
man the richest woman In the world, hiss
crested this individuality.
But Feydeau's piece IN. deBt. Bertrand, !"
has not dared 10 venture solfar as the novel
OF which every incident 10 declared 70
be true, Notwithstanding the improbabllity
Of such things happening even In France,
aud the other impossibllity Of their occur
renee elsewhere. N. dc Saint Bertrand Il
q specimen OF the new monster which the
wants and aspirations Of our times have
creatsd-the monster Of distinction.
N. dc Saint Bertrand, q low born adyen-
tureT, with the determination ofllvlDg we'll
at the peoples expense-the world his oJ 10
ter, which he with billiard cue, with ace OF
lrumps, with scented billet douK, but not
with swords, will open-starts forth 10
seek his prey amongst the fashionable roues
and the continental love seeking ladies Of
Paris. His physique hAs for long tim,
been In training for the part be has resolved
on playing, his mako up has besn per
fected BY taste, his tone and manner rem
dered unexceptionable by study; and he
acts forth In search Of prey. hls hTst victim
IL Polish countess, living In the highest 30
clety ofParis, married 10 an aged general
who, seeing nothing but perfection In hls
young wife, objects not 10 her adoption oil
NJ. de Saint Bertrand as her Intimate
friend and counsellor, nor 70 the immense
sums she choose 10 lavish on Der favorito
Tho distinguished monster, with his aqui.
line nose, Hmbrosial curls, and well-tied
crayst, ingratiAtes himself, not only into
the heart OF the Polish countess, but into
the confidence Of the husband, and soon
discovers that both arc at the head Of the
vast conspiracy 70 wrench their beloved
country from the despotic sway OF RussiAi
and whom the conspiracy, ripe for bursting
demands the presence OF tho countess AI
WsnaW he gots entrusted with AL the pa.
pcrs, among which Il thellSt Of names con
neclsd with the affair, and, when the coun
tess Ia once fairly removed from Paris, sets
about obtaining admission 10 high Russian
society, and soon manages by hint aud
insluuatlon 10 make II known that be Ia IN
possession OF the key 10 The mystery OF q
conspiracy which IL causing 80 much aux
iety 20 the Russian Government. Then
comes upon the Stage smother character
vol known In Parisian society, the Prin-
cess Madeline, the great AriatooraLic spy.
Tohei 10 entrusted the mission fo0 bargain,
ing for the papers, forit ID already NM,
at 81. Petersburg that saint Re- rand ha
played deep and loiI lltny money bestowst
upon kiifOy tie Polish Countess, his nrs
mistress. The Russisn Spy, his secont
mistress, loads the monster Of distinction
with every blessing, money, OF course
standlng nrsti In his estimation, but watch
"a the moment when, his gambling pro
pensitlss having once more left him wlth
out resourcea, he ands himself compile,
70 sue for precunlsry aid from the Prin
csss. Great 10 the cutlery Of her part-th,
thing ID impossible-skehAs already Ia
Wished on him moro than the allowance
made her BY her husbandi but she know
Of means whereby . man may be mad,
ElCu Iot Aho- Al NJ Coulu uuu Out WI
has bean entrusted with the document
concerning the great Polish conspiracy
which arc known 70 hive been Deposited
In Paris, and without which the Russian
Government IL poworlesA 10 pursue tn
eulprita, Aaource Of fortune will be opeI
20 him on the instaut. The Russian
Priucoss, who judges tho man nom her OK
porionco OF the meannesB Of hle character
Smuses herself BY making him WalloW In
the mud at her feet. Feignlng 10 DO Igno
rant Of the case, she tells him that Il d
agalns. the Polish Countess ~ head OF Oh,
conspiracy that the prosecution will b,
principally directed-she describes TIL
punishment which awaits the fair patrio
should the list be discovered-the nagallu
ton with rods--the shAven hair--thS blAcl
and branding chains-the knot and Bibe
riA-she gloats over the emotion which
moDAt1r AZ he IL, ho cannot control ~ h,
Listens 70 tho tale. He WTlthes az he 70
members tho devotion, the dellcAcy and
grace Of the sweet countess. He WInces a
the thought OF the cruelty abe will be
made 70 undergo, but remembers likeWis
the distrsas aud dlsbouor which will over
take him should no not pay the heaV,
gambling debt he had incurred, and fiuAi
ly gives up the papers on receipt OF goo,
round Sum, which the princess, with ever
expression of whitening contempt pays In
70 his hands. Again is Saint Bertrand OF
the lookout for profitable Investment o
that distinction on which he reckons for
livelihood. This time he finds Il in Oh,
Ws.Faon af a danaanaa ,yhn.a F..,. n. g..