Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-11-03

'tunt , the glass IN tHe WlnuOWS tr6nDleu.
The stranger continued this pitiless and
laugh for several minutes, and
Heinrich and his companions, in spite of
their terror, could not help initiating it.
When Heinrich had recovered himself,
the vaults of the tavern were repeating.
like n feeble echo, the last notes of that
broken and and terrible litter, and the
stranger was no longerthere.
III.
Some days after this strange incident,
which he had almost forgotten, or which
he remembered only rs n joke of mn iron
ical burgher, Heinrich was playing his
part of the demon in the new piece.
On the first row of seats in tine orchcs-
tra was seated the stranger of the tavern.
and at every word he pronounced, he
shook his head, winked his eyes, smacked
his tongue against his palate, and showed
signs of the liveliest impatience.
"Bad bad " he murmurod softly 10
himself.
At the end Of the first act the stranger
rose, as if he Ind taken sudden resolu-
ton, strobe over the big drum, the Gym
balls and trombone, and disappeared
through the little door that leads from the
orchestra to the stage Heinrich waiting
until the curtain rose, was walking up
and down in the wings, and when he came
to the end OF his short promenade, what
was his terror to see as lie turned, stand
ing in the middle OF the narrow corrid or,
mysterious parsonage clothed exactly
us he was, and who looked Mt him with
eyes whose greenish transparency had Il
strange profundity in the darkness and
,,,l,, .l, 10 tnatl, 81
something ferocious to his surdonic
smile.
Heinrich could not fail to recognize the
stranger whom he had seen at the Two
headed Eagle, or rather the devil in per-
son, for it was he.
"Ah ah my young friend, you wish
to play the devil You were very mid
ding in the first act, and you would de-
cidedly give too poor idea of me to the
good citizens of Vienna. You will allow
me to replace you this evening, and as
you might interfere with me l will SEND
you to the cellar below the stage"
Heinrich recognized the Prince of Dark
ness and felt himself lost putting his
hand mechanically to the little cross that
Katy had given him, he tried to call for
help and to murmur his formula of exor-
cism but terror choked him he could
only utter feeble rattle. The devil
seized Heinrich with his hooked hands
by the shoulders and pushed him by
main force through the floor then he
entered upon the scene, when his cue
came, like a perfect actor.
His incisive, biting, venomous and
truly diabolical acting at first surprised
the spectators. What especially pro-
duced great effect was the sharp litter
like the grating of saw, that laugh OF
the damned disappearing the joys of
paradise. Never had an actor attained
such power of sarcasm, such a depth of
villany the audience laughed but they
trembled. All the audience was painting
with emotion phosphoric sparks glinted
from the fingers of the terrible actor
trans of sparkling flame ran from his
feet the light of the lusters grew pale,
the foot lights shot ont reddish and green
ish flashes sort of sulphurous smell
reigned in the theatre the spectators
were as it were delirious, and thunders OF
frantic applause greeted each phrase OF
the marvellous Mephistopheles, who often
substituted verses of his own invention
Tor the verses of the poet, and the sub
stitution was always happy and accepted
with transports.
Katy, TO whom Heinrich had sent a box,
was i'll n state of extraordinary alarm ;
she did not recognize her dear Heinrich
she presaged some misfortune with that
spirit of divination which love gives.
The performance ended amidst hides
cribable enthusiasm. When the curtain
fell the public called for Mephistopheles
with loud cries. He was sought for in
vain but at last scene-shifter came and
told the manager that Heinrich had been
found i'll the cellar, where he had proba-
bly, fallen through trap. Heinrich was
unconscious he was taken to his home,
and when he was undressed they saw
with surprise that he had deep scratches
on his shoulders as if tiger had tried to
crush him with his paws. Katys little
cross had preserved him from death, and
the devil, vanquished by this influence,
had contented himself with hinging Helm.
rich into the cellar of the theatre.
The convalescence of Heinrich was long
rs soon MS he was better the manager OF
the theatre offered him a very brilliant
engageme but Heinrich refused it, foi
he was by no means anxious to risk his
salvation n second time, and he knew, too,
VIM Hc WOtilu never ne hDle " cuuui nif
terrible duplicate.
After two or three years, having come
into little fortune, he married the hand
some Katy, and now the two sitting side
by side in front of II porcelain steve in {
nice warm room, are talking of the future
Of their children.
Play-goers still speak with admiration
of that marvellous evening, md are ms
tonished at Heinrich's caprice which
made him abandon the stage after 30 grea
q triuunl