New-York tribune., 1870-10-08
A LITERARY VETERAN.
ALEXANDRA DUMAS IN MADRID.
,ypo,, AZ oCc .eIoxAr CORKFgpONDRNr


year Alcxandre Dumas the Father. came down TO Mad
rid to collect material for his work entitled The Past,
Present and Future of the Revolution In Spain" Its
rare that French feuilletonste knows anything outside
Of the Boulevard des Ialens hut this veteran romancer
used to bring to the discussion OF historical subjects
profound aud thorough ignorance of the matters treated
which put to shame the sketchy msnformaton OF his
frivolous imtators. He to Spain, utterly ignorant
of be history the language the customs OF the people.
TO write In some six weeks the story aud ntrgues and
incidents Of life time which have resulted In the dis
tricon of the Bourbon dynasty In the Peninsular He
was SO absurdly lacking in the commones knowledge OK
correct events that he addressed letter to Don Cruz
Ochoa the fiery Carlist shOudcrher Of the Cores, on
matter OF literary inquiry, misakiGg him for Don Eu-
eepo de Oohoa the famous scholar and ndacademicianex
octly as II you shouldwre to ask Senator Wilson to
pound his true meaning in contested point OF the
" Noctes Ambrosian@."
There were more especial reasons why Dumas shonld
have thought twice before coming down to Madrid to
write history at a hand gallop. Ho had said in I'M
fortunately spiritual hour that Africa began at the Py
renee and the Castllan heart Gover forgave him. He
also carried the curse Of Canaan his face and hair
and nation Of Shareholders could not receive him with
out embarrassment
Still he had many friends in Madrid, and Mr. and Mrs.
Perry gave him the OF their beautiful rosec0ored
quna in the suburbs, where the old man set up his
tabernacle working by day, and dining in the evening
ia his own sybartic style.
was invited to meet him evening at the house of
Senior Ochoa-whO delighted honor the old Iomancer,
after Dumas had ascertained that there were more
Ochoas than in Spain. found brilliant company
OF literary and artistic people and few Of the aris
focacy yielded sufficiently 10 the spirit of the age
to read novels. But to my dsmay when asked for the
llon was informed by the genial savant who enter
tanned Us that he had gone off to bed Immediately after
feeding But the next night fortunate. The
tenor Tambck singing at the opera for something's
benefit and everybody went In the first entre-acte L
noticed that the whole audience facing one way
followed the general stare and the author OF Monte
Crsto" recognized him instantly, not from his por
traits hut from Madras grotesque carcature, which Is
more like him than himself. There was such prepos
ferrous Of white wool covering the enormous red
face with the broad humorous negro smile that ran over
the countenance from the thick lips such tremendous
breadth Of shoulder and depth Of chest so p0nderous
stomach and trunk supported thin legs that bent with
their burden that no regarded him seriously They
| seemed to think that outandsh figure was
| the Cet-up, not the person, Of Alexandra
| Dumas. The whole house stared at him. with
all their eyes and orgnetes, and chattered with as
| brutal an unreserve English or American crowd
| would have exhibited-whch is not usual in Latin
! country The veteran did not seem to mind them. He
spoke from time 10 time TO the ladies in the box, with
faint light Of the old gaanry shining through his heavy
face Sometimes when the still glorious voice Of Tam
bcT seemed TO burn through the vail that has cast
over IT, and up that electrical climax OF the ut de
poiiriae could in the kindng eye Of the old ro
manccr sign OF the sympathy that existed between the
two battered aud llewOrn giants Of art But usually he
was sunk in sluggish reyery, peacefully snoring in
that sweet sleep of age and childhood with which nature
kindly soothcs and guards the weakness Of our begin
ming and our end.
was so interested in him that evening that readily
accepted Mr. Perry's kind invitation to call with him at
the quinta 1t stood just outside the barrio sala-
manca to the left Of the bung, that hot, arid pa-
eau where the sunshine drives all pedestrians into the
scauty shadow of the walls 1t seems like changing your
latitude with Thought when you open the rckety gate
and step the COOL lush fragrant garden, IL Is full
Of winding walks aud heavy tufts OF verdure arbors and
! wayward vines and a little way back stands the old
farmhouse, completely buried in cambering roses We
found Dumas in a delicious summerhouse in the garden
His niece an exquistely pretty and wnsome schoolgirl
as innocent and modest as school girls are In those
efete and degenerate lands sat him. and opposite
him al the rustic table Carolina Coronado the span
ish poet.
Dumas began talking at once about his work. He did
not get well, he said lie could not accomplish
more than printed pages per day. the Spanish
hard to read and he had either 10 consult the dictionary
or guess the meaning Of the words both these pro
cesses took time. We listened with amusement, and
Madame Coronado with horror, at this novel exposition
of the historians method. asked him how he disposed
of his day al rise lateabOut ten breakfast. work
until four. then indulge in the debauch OF walk in
the garden. dine, and If Madame is good as to bring
her carriage take the air in the Prado come back
and 80 chascy to bed" He was in the habit of sleeping
il hours out Of the q. His dinners gastronOmic
phenomena. He prepared them himself. He sat at the
head Of his table, in his shrceyes and left his guests
after each course TO supenend the presentation Of the
next He renewed his youth at the dinner-tablc. All
the rcrre and wit Of old times back to him then
But from coffee to bedtime he little more than
mummy that serves only to remind us of prncely past
He was going out for his drive when entered the
den and they kindly forced me 10 take the fourth seat
As we drove down the Prado to the PaseO de AOcha,
the strange figure Of Dumas attracted universal aten-
ton lie always carried Gibus opera hat in his hand
aud his bushy white wool gave appearance Of extra
ordinary size TO his head He spoke hardly word dur
ing the first halfhour, answering all questions at ran
DOM and only seeming to listen when his pretty niece
spoke to him. seemed lost in reyeries OF the time
! when lie a gay youth with clear brain and hot
blood and the voice Of this lovely girl appeared TO find
its way easily through the dun the key of memory
Later when refreshed by the cool evening air. be became
more chatty and sociable. remark made by Madame
Coronado in regard the opposition of the church to
"spiritua circles attracted his attention He said very
! earnestly:
"Mcsseurs les Cures wrong. They should he glad
Of any evidence that goes prove the Immortality Of the
soul" He turned TO to to ask about these manfes-
tatOns i'm America In the course OF the conversation
which ensued urged him to visit America TO observe
for himself the remarkable developments now making in
! the spiritual and material life OF the people
He looked steadily at me a moment, then taking tuft
| OF his snOw-white wool in his fingers, he said;
| "And thisP
| thought OF Reyels and replied
| at would make you Senator"
He looked dazed for a moment He had not heard of
emancipation. He had but vague idea Of the war.
This Is not uncommon in France. Dumas, the younger
! I'm his powerful novel "LAGare Ccmencean," intro
| duces a young Bostonlan named Andre Minati, who
amuses himself by attending the noggng Of his fathers
slaves.
"Eh bienw he sighed. "This has come too late for
me- When was young, it kept me away from America.
/ olU