National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-05-02

the 1ntricacies OF the plot are 10 DO straight
oncd.
The second act opens with minuct in tho
ball room of tho town hall of Amicns. Tho
marriage is supposed to have taken place.
Pomaret, highly clated with the pomp OF his
position rs father to marchioncss, says,
Room for my daughter, tho marchioness,"
whereupon Dosiree enters, followed by Mario,
and sings beautiful waltz aria, with chorus,
after which she comments to her father upon
the extraordinary conduct Of her husband,
who absentcd himself Immediately after the
ceremony, and, although the ball Is now half
over has not made his appearance. Pomaret
excuses 1t Oh the ground of military routine,
but, upon being asked as to the meaning of
the term, is obliged to confess his ignorance.
Ho then announces that "supper's ready"
and on the strength of the announcement
sings the following song:
Though the sprituellc maiden
May discourse in language laden
With ideas that seem not OF mortal birth;
If the supper Is belaed
She Will grow less animated,
And her conversation SAVIOR more OF earth.
Though tho pundit scientific,
With loquacity prolific,
May disCussthe deepest subjects Of the day;
An apparent interns,ion
In his show Of eruditlon
VIII be noticed as the evening wears away.
A condition transcendental.
May perhaps exist in ages yet TO come;
But at present nature owes you
Neither nectar nor ambrosia,
But more substantial sort oil pabulum.
The chorus after each verse is as follows:
For the flow of reason flags,
And the conversation lags,
And the brillancy of wit grows more unsteady;
While we eagerly await
For the host to Intimate
The interesting iact that "supper's ready"
Here tho long lost Marquis appears, and,
after apologizing for his unavoidable absence,
is about to lead Desiree in to supper, when
Dumont. his orderly, enters and hands him
a paper, which he reads, and, informing the
guests that it is dispatch requiring
immediate attention, asks Pomaret to lead
his daughter to the banquet. Pomaret leads
her out and all the guests follow. Tho dis.
patch announces that the Count dc Courville
has escaped from confinement. and the Mar
auis has scarcely finished reading it when
the window Is thrown violently open and the
Count appears on balcony outside. Here
follows q duet between the two men, por.
tion of which is as follows:
Marquis:
True friendship is something, as you are aware,
We seldom encounter In life.
Count:
Is robbing man of Ills wife.
Twas fortune that sent me to thus intervene
'lWlAt you anu inc iutc sou uoploIo'
So with Spartan devotion you came on the scone
And married the girl adore.
MARQUIS:
If were your enemy, you understand,
ia show Il by taking your life.
Count:
But being my friend on the other hand,
You're contented with taking my wife.
The Marquis proceeds to explain his con-
| duct to his rash young friend, which may be
summed up thus: 1t seems the Marquis had
sweetheart at a chateau some distance
away, and he had recently obtained leave
of absence, eluded the besiegers, and sue
ceeded in reaching the abode of his loved one
at night, but only to find her faithless. A
more favored lover knelt at her feet. Mad
doned by jealousy, the Marquis leaped into
the room the light was extinguished, there
was clash of swords, cry as from a
wounded man, and he rushed from the room
The next morning it was reported that the
| Duke dc Chevannes (for SO the rival was
called) was assassnated. 1t is true that il
was a duel, but without witnesses, and o.
SUCH by the edist of the Cardinal, punishable
by degradation and death. The lynx-eyed
emissaries Of the Cardinal discovered all the
facts, and three days prior to the day upon
which the events of tho opera occur the
Marquis had received a letter from
his eminence, notifying him that
his life was forfeited, but thai
in consideration Of his services no wa!
permitted to seek an honorable death
"Within three days" wrote the Cardinal, "let
me hear that the Marquis do Lavarre ha.
preferred II soldiers death upon the battle
field TO that of felon on the scafIod." Th,
Marquis tells the Count that in two hours tht
three days will have expired, and he viii
have ceased to live. A glimmering of hi
motive in marrying Desiree begins to dawr
upon the Count, and it has probably alread,
struck the reader Knowing that he mus
die in two or three hours, he marrie
Desiree in order that when he dies sh,
will be marchioness, in which event th
Counts father could not, of course, object to
marriage between his son and a titled lady
Upon hearing the story of the Marquis, tn
Count is overwhelmed with remorse and tn
conflicting emotions Of friendship and love
As he expresses it, Love bids me laugh, ant
friendship bids me weep" With burst o
generosity he tells the Marquis to live an,
be happy, and he will try and fall in Low
with some one else. But the Marquis tell
him it is too late-his doom is sealed. AM
now while the Marquis goes Off to make som
final arrangements, Marie enters and sings
duet with the Count, which is one of tn
gems of the opera; h'
A star shone softly from the sky afar
Upon maiden with tender light,
And this remote, but ardent sort OF star
Adored this maiden at FIRST sight.
The star shone on with loyeIight from afar,
TIL morning dawned too soon
But the maiden smiled not on the loving star,
Alas she loved the moon
star may shine although the sun may rise.
Aud vanish only IN the glare Of noon,
But never can eclipse in maldens' eyes
The destinations Of the moon.
The moon went down, but still the star above
Hoped on and loved the maiden from afar,
And the maiden,s heart at last went out with Low
Unto the far Off longing star.
Although the moon than stars may be more bright
Though maidens may the distant star5 disdain,
The stars Will shine with cleDN aud steady Light
When the moon is on the wane.
Tho Marquis enters and sonds Marie Off II
tell his wife that he will rejoin her shortly
and Dumont enters with message from tn
Cardinal Richelieu. The victim has no doub
that it Is to remind him that his last hour
, at hand, so without opening it he says
| "Dumont, mount your horse instantly an
} ride to the Spanish camp with a flag of truce
you will there deliver this message: Tha
5 tho Marquis de Lavarre, colonel Of the king
: musketeors, will, within an hour, alone an
. unsided, capture the Spanish standard whic
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