The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-01-17

act the entire house rose, sounding forth frantic braves The effect produced on the actors at the rehearsal was produced on the audience at the first performance. That earnestness of play, that intensity of action, that power of mimicry, took the audience by storm.
 On the stage, they pressed around Der. mar din to congratulate him. But he, seated in an arm chair, saw nothing, heard nothing. He murmured in a low voioe, like suffering child
 don't feel well; I'm sick.r And he passed his hand over his burning brow, on which giistened great beads ot perspi. ration. They thought he was fatigued, and withdrew, leaving him alone in the cool shadow of the wings, once more pos- sessed by his former hallucinations. When he entered the stage for the fourth act he was again completely deranged. The success still increased-even at- taining to great enthusiasm. In fact, the further the play progressed the more Bernardin abandoned himself to his mad excitement. He re-lived the Rueil crime In all its horrible details. He was carried back to that night as he had formerly been, by the same mental process. He oeheld his brother and his sister-in-law again. As for the unfortunate Daioert, he became in his eyes Micheline's lover, the dishonorer of his family, the being whom 1t was necessary to kill. No one suspected what took place in Bernardins orain-something like a calm delirium growing in the brain of madman.
 He seemed, however, absolutely master of himself, and played the beginning of the fourth act like a consummate actor. It was ieie-a-tete scene between Dalbert and Bernardin. The latter depic'ed the calm and ironical admirably. But soon the drama was renewed with savage bru- tality. The public censor not having allowed the assassination to be committed with an iron bar. the authors proceeded otherwise. While Jean Morel and Mich cline held the victim immovahle on a table, Bernardin strangled hlm with moose of slender cord.
 It was horribly realistic. Bernaydin threw himself on Dalbert with such a raging hatree that he received four rounds of applause. He put the moose around the neck of his victim and pulled violently. A smothered cry was heard, rattle, then nothing more. Bernardin remained standing at the back of tn stage. livid and quiveripg His teeth chattersd, and the precipitation rolled down the white, set face. There was an indescribable minute; then the house, carried ava, by the excitement, burst into a roar of
 " Bravol Bravor
 Some womeH fainted some men even thought it was carrying realism too far.
 Suddenly the curtain fell, as if it had not been expected. Hurry and nolse vas heard on the stage; doors were opened and closed then cries. An inde6nable uneasiness seized the audience. Already they asked from chair to chair:
 What is the matterP What has hap pened ?'
 The rumor spread that search vas be. ing made for physician in the house. Groups were forming in the corridors, when slowly the curtain rose and the prompter appeared, pale and trembling.
 In choked voice he made this stupe- flying announcement.
 Ladies and gentlemen, great mis- fortune has happened. Monsieur Ber- hardin Morel has strangled our comrade, Dalbert.- Translated from He Eysnch of Albert Del6iE foy ike San Fyaneiscan, 6y LazO,ence s. VaSsaHlf.