The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-01-17

spoken belong to the same race as him self? Could they in this way receive him ?-an assassin Could they speak SC to him?-a creature condemned b, his own conscience!
 l CHAPTER ".
 The rehearsals progressed finely. The, felt assured of an enormous success Truly, they had never seen such mar vicious stage director as Bernardin Morel He had heard the piece read by the authors, with a sustained attenti In. He made scarcely any observation of the details. From the first they believed he could do nothing. During the distribu. ton of parts and entire green-room work Bernardin said nothing. He remained in one corner, seated on leather bench and staring straight before him. The actors at first looked at him curiously then, little by little, they became accus. toned to him, and spoke to him as to any one else.
 Good morning, Bernardin. How goes it, my old Bernardin ?" they said, with the polished familiarities of the stage.
 The Rueil assassin, the man worn out by his conscience, went through it as il he heard nothing. The rough antithesis of his solitary life and this life in the theater did not strike him. He remained the same at times his mind was lucid and then again it was clouded. Already Chesnel believed he had made bad bar. gain. Suddenly Bernardin revealed him. self. They had just put on the third act, and were experimenting and hesitating, when Bernardin rushed from the back oi the stage, crying
 It vas not at all like that 1"
 And then with marvellous precision he recommended all the work already done. He stated precisely the details {; indicated in a striking manner the jealousy and anger of Jean Morel to the day when his rage compelled him to the crime. He gave admirable counsels to the actress charged with the part of Micheline. As to his own character, he m'micked it in so remarkable manner, and found such terrifying ,intonations, that Chesnel rubbed his hands, crying:
 "A colossal effectl shall increase the price of admission"
 One day the actor who took the part of Bernardin Morel caught a cold, and asked for two days leave. Chesnel wished the prompter to read the part, but Bernardin opposed the idea. He himself took it. All the terrors that haunted the brain of the unhappy man, all the fears that consumed him, he put into his acting, his voice, his gestures. The other actors were amazed. Never had they seen a part played with so much power ; never had they seen an actor achieve such intense effects One of them was even frightened at his real istic acting-he who took the part of his victim. He was quite young boy, just out of the Conservatoire-a little timid, we'll fitted to take the part of Micheline S lover. His name was Dalber, and he was overjoyed at his debut; but when he saw Bernardin rehearse, his joy greatly diminished. He trembled during the entire rehearsal. The actress who took the part of Micheline-a gentle and coquettish little blonde, named Marie Deschamps-tried to reassure him. The cause of his alarm would not last the other actor would be cured of his cold, and everything would return to the old oider. They could not foresee, either of them, what would happen.
 l Chesnel never hesltated when he saw the means of making money. Alter re- hearsal he said one day, to Bemardin.
 "Come into my office, Morel have something to say to you" And when they were alone, "You are perfectly mar vicious. wish you to play the part. will give you five hundred francs for each performance. Is it a bargain ?"
 | Wae if harrasS>2 ? Na..>~ ~I Al man dreamed of such good fortune. Since he had rehearsed in the place of the sick man, great tranquility had come to him. His nerves were relaxed l; remorse seemed to pursue less eagerly its victim. He recommended each evening the same sinister promenade, but with terrors less pronounced. Even in the night his nightmares were less hideous.
 The rehearsal continued for fifty days, during which Bernardin was happy. As soon as he knew that the part belonged to him, as soon as he could repeat it every day from noon to four o'clock, his mental distress ceased. In the morning he rose early and took a walk for exer- else. He breakfasted gayly, and was the first to arrive at the theatre. Then sort of fire burned in him ; but 1t was bestowed only on the play, the setting and the ac- tors. At the rehearsal he expanded his energy enormously, not only on his own part, but on the parts of the others. Each day he produced the same effect on the actors, carpenters; even on the fire men, who watched with great interest from the wings. After the rehearsal Bernardin became calm and gentle again. He sometimes went ts the cafe with the others. Every one found him pleasant companion except Dalbert who could not bring himself to be reassuned. vainly little Marie Deschamps tried to calm him.