The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-07-18
ADRIENNE LECoUvREuR.
The Lovely ana Accomplished Actress
Celebrated I'm Scribe's Drama.

SeHeDFuueV Ss'ThUe HpTuuuW.
1t is not easy to determine when the
romance of her lfe-her acquaintance with
the Comte de Saxe--began. He came TO Paris
in 1920, three years after her brilliant ap-
pearance on the stage. He left on his adven-
turous expedition to Courland in 1925, and
at the latter date they were on such terms
that she was ready to accomplish that men,
orable act of generosity of selling her jewels
to supply him with requisite funds. She
ran great risk of never seeing him again.
Two years of pensive separation followed:
the depth of sentiment which filled them is
betrayed rather than shown by the yelled
pathos of a few sentences in which she refers
to his return: cone who has been long ex-
pectcd," she wrote, "will come back this
evening, as far as one may judge, in fairly
good health. A courier has arrived who was
sent OH before, as the carriage had broken
down thirty leagues off. A light chase has
started and tonight some one will be here.
II is impossible to render the tenderness of
On sera ici."l twas nearly two years after
the return of Maurice from Courland that
Adrienne received mysterious visit from n
poor hunchbacked miniature painter, the
Able Bouret, who, not finding her at home,
left word that he had a communication of
the highest Importance to make to her If
she would meet him in the Luxembourg
gardens. where he would make himself
known by concerted signal-three taps on
his hat. The actress drove to the place of
rendezvous, and there was informed that the
painter had received the offer of large
bride if, under the preteXt of taking her
portrait, he contrived to leave with her
some poisoned lozenges given him
by great lady of the court whom jealousy
| mr. ttnIf IN Inr A1riapun Savarol
sions of the story are handed down, which
do not agree, and the whole affair is suffi-
GENTLY obscure. In any case it is certain
that Adrienne was not poisoned. For long
time her health had been failing, and it was
several months after the incident in the Lux
emboug that she played at the Coincide Fran
caise for the last time. We have the vivid
account of an eyewitness, the lovely Greek
beauty, the rival of Adrienne Lecouvreur in
charm of mind and person, Mile. d'Aisse,
who was at the theatre that night, and
panied and shocked by the manifest suffer
ing of the actress, who, nevertheless, went
throught her part with heroic fortitude. She
appeared in the OIdipe" of Voltaire as the
first piece, and then, i'll as she was, played
again in the aftcrpiece, lie Florentin," in
which, long and difficult as was her part, by
force of genius and nerve she acquitted her.
self to perfection. She was carried home in
an almost dying state, and five days after
ward expired of acute internal inhamma-
ton. Her friend, Voltare, who owed her
much of the success of his early tragedies,
says she died in his arms. In her death
throes priest of st. pice forced his way to
her bedside. "Do not be uneasy" she said !,
81 know what brings you here. have not
forgotten you poor in my will" Then turn
ing to the bust of the Comte' de SAKE, she ex-
claimed, "Voila mon univers, mon expoir,
ct mes dieux." As she had died without
having renowned the stage, she was refused
Christian burial, and her body was hurried
away by night in cab and thrust under
ground in a We od-yard in the Faubourg st.
| Germain Mall (;o-,H,.