The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-12-04
TWO ACTORS FOR ONE PART.
BY THEoPHmE GAUTIER,

The Imperial garden of Vienna was
deserted a sharp wind whirIed about
the saffron-colored leaves withered al
ready by the first frost the branche
OF the rose-bushes, twisted and broken,
tralled In the mud. Still the main path,
thanks to the sand with which it was
covered, was dry and fit for walking
Though devastated by the approach of
winter, the Imperial garden was not
wanting in a certain melancholy charm.
The long path, with its red arcades,
gave at its extremity a confused idea
OF hilly horizon, now shrouded in
blush vapors and the evening fog, be-
yond, the eye wandered over the Prater
and Danube. 1t was a picture which
would have satisfied poet.
A young man was pacing up and down
the path with visible signs of impatience.
His costume, which was marked by a
theatrical elegance, consisted of a black
velvet froek coat, with gold brande-
bourgs trimmed with fur, knitted gray
trousers, and soft boots, with tassels
reaching to the knee. He was perhaps
twenty-seven to twenty-eight years of
age; his pale and regular features were
fHll of finesse, and iropy was discerni-
ble In his glance and in the corners of
his mouth. At the university, whence
he seemed recently to have come, for he
still wore the students cap and oak
leaves, he must have'given the "PhiIis-
tines" considerable work, and have
shone IN the foremost rank of 61trsche7ls
and foxes"
The very limited space to which he
restricted himself showed that he await
ed some one, doubtless a woman, for
during the month of November the I'm
perial garden of Vienna is not propiti-
GUS to business appointments.
As supposed, it was not long before a
young girl appeared at the end of the
path; black silk head-dress covered
her rich blonde hair, out of the long
ringlets of which the dampness of the
evening air had slightly taken the curl
her complexion, usually white as wax,
had, from the effects of the cold, assuHa-
ed the hue of tea-rose. Bundled as
she was in her sable-trimmed mantle,
she bore a perfect resemblance to the
statuette of ola Frleuse." A black
spaniel, convenient chaperone, on
whose indulgence and secrecy one could
depend with safety, accompanied her.
would you believe, Henri, said the
pretty Viennesse girl, as she took the
young mans arm, "that [ have been
dressed and ready to go ont for the past
hour, and there was no end to my aunt's
sermons on the dangers of waltzing, and
to her recipes for Christmas cakes. I at
length escaped under the pretext of pur-
chasing pair of gray slippers, of which
am not at all in need. 1t was for your
sake, Henri, / tell all these little fibs,
which l hardly regret, but always re-
pent. What possessed you to devote
yourself to the stage? It was well worth
while for you to study theology at
Heidelberg so long My parents liked
you, and by this time we should have
been married. Instead of seeing each
other by stealth, under the leafess trees
of the Imperial garden, we should be
sitting gside-by-side by good china stove,
in a well-closed parlor, and talking over
the future of our children. Would that
not be happy lot, Henri ?"
Yes, Katy, very happy lot" re-
piled the young man, pressing the dim
pied arm, under its wrappings of satin
and fur; "but what can do? It is an
irresistible fascination; the stage attracts
me dream of it at night and think of
it by day feel a desire to live in the
poets creation; it seems to me as though
1 had twenty lives. Each role I assume
forms new existence; ali the passions
express / feel am Hamlet, Othello,
Charles DeMoor. When a man is all
these heroes, it is difficult to resign him. |
self to the humble condition of a village
pastor"
"This is very fine, but you know
right well that my parents will never
consent to have an actor for a son-in-
law"
Certainly not an obscure actor, a |
poor wanderer, the jest of managers and |
the public but an artist crowned with
glory and greeted with applause, better
paid than a minister, however exactipg
they may be, they will be very happy to |
accept. When | come to ask your hand !
in handsome yellow coach, the varnish |
of which makes it a looking glass for |
the staring neighbOrs, and when big |
lacquey in livery let's down the steps, do |
you think. then, Katy, they will refuse |
my offer"
"I DO not think so. But who can say, |
III nri, that you will ever reach this |
point? You have talent, but talent does |
not suffice yOu must also have luck. |
And when you shall have become the |
great actor you speak of, the best part |
of our youth Will have passed and then |
will you still be ready to marry old Katy, |
having at your command the love of all |
the princesses of the stage, so merry and |
so richly attired ?"
"The future / allude to-" replied |
Henri, "is nearer at hand than You sup |
pose; l have profitable engagement at |
the karn theater, and the manager !
was so much pleased with the manner in |
which I filled my latest role, that he |
made me present of two thousand |
thalers."
Eyes, retorted the young girl with |
a serious air, " the part of the devil in |
the new piece; but 1 acknowledge, |
Henri, that l do not like to have a Chris. |
tain wear the mask of the enemy of |
mankind and utter blasphemous words. |
The other evening 1 went to zee You at |
the theater and every minute I feared /
that real fire from the internal regions |
would burst from the trap when you |
disappeared In whiIlwind of alcoholic |
flame. l returned home very much dis
turbed in mind, and had terrible |
dreams"
''This is but imagination, my good /
Katy; in any event, tomorrow the last |
representation of the piece will occur,
and l shall dou no more thereafter the |
black end red costume, which causes |
you so much displeasure."
So much the better for know not |
what vague uneasineSs agitates my /
mind, and I am afraid that the role /
which adds so much to reputation, will |
not increase your chances of salvation. |
1 also fear that you will contract bad
habits amid these heaven-forsaken play
ers. / am sure you no longer pray, and
will wager you have lost the little cross
/ gave you"
Henri cleared himself of this charge
by opening his coat. The little cross
still glittered on his breast.
While conversing thus the two lovers
had reached the Thabor Srasse in the |
LeopOlds.adt, and stood before the shop
of a shoemaker celebrated for the per-
lection of his gray slippers. After con-
versing for a few minutes at the door,
Katy entered, followed by her spaniel, |
bat not without first confiding her pretty
taperiug fingers to Henri's hand.
Henri tried to catch another glimpse
of his sweetheart through the pretty
slippers and shoes symmetrically ar