Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-01-08

GkNADA aSAS- ~ AA~oNACAA1g O4u OK
lowed events to develop themselves as |
wished.
When he had dressed, we went downstairs.
The cab was still waiting, and we again en-
tered it. In a few minutes it drew up before
a large building, the front of which was one
blaze of Light. There we dismissed the cab.
1T is the Odeon Theatre" said Raoul.
"Ah-I see-but Gabrielle n
/ allowed him no time for reflection. led
him up the staircase and through the cor.
rider to the stage-boxes. I knocked at the
|. door Of one of these, opened it, and half.
pushed Raoul within. Then 1 closed the door
and waited.
After an interval Of a few minutes the door
was eopened, and Rsoul drew me into the
box. / found myself with my friend and
Gabrielle Dunain9. The light was dim, fo1
the curtains Of the boz were drawn, but ii
was not so dim that I could not discern the
change that had como over the faces Of these
two since | had last looked upon either.
Gabrielle was radiant with happiness, the
serene, pure happiness which is born only OF
sorrow. l had seen her before in her mo.
ments of gayety and in her time of anguish,
but l had never seen her looking SO lovely as
she did then. 1t seemed as if her trial had
not only tested her heart, but had in some
subtitle way heightened her beauty and given
it a new dignity and sweetEcss-a soft witch
cry, a calm, spiritual rapture born of deep
ened thought and proved devotion.
I need not repeat here what Gabrielle and
Raoul said to me as we threu st, h.GIE3ic
each other by the hand, in the darkened box
in the Od6on. Suffice it to say that they SO
exaggerated my share in restoring Raoul to
liberty that, I protest, it was almost O relief
to me when the door opened, and there ap-
peared M. Sapinaud, leading in Nine. Du-
maine. Then there were fresh congratula-
tons, and we wero still in the midst of a con-
versation, joyful, but on the part of the
ladies fearful also, when a bell rang and a
hush succeeded to the hum that had filled the
theatre.
Then I drew back the curtain of our box,
and looked, for the first time, on the audience
hat had assembled to witness Raoul's play.
The house was crowded from floor to ceiling.
Hooked from the circle, from the beauty and
rank that filed it-from the snowy, ~lustrous
dresses, the brilliant uniforms, the sparkling
jewels, the flowers, the white7gloved fingers
toying with fans or raising lorgnettes-I
looked from the circle to the stalls, to the
black-coated gentlemen among whom, knew,
were seated the keenest dramatic critics of
Paris. The thought that they were there
filed me with exultation. I had no fear for
the success of Raouls comedy. Ihad no doubt
that before the night was over several Of the
brightest pens in the most critical city Of the
world would be running swiftly in his praise.
Many eyes were turned to our box that
night. The evening papers had already an
nounced the fact Of Raoul's liberation, and a
rumor that he was present in the theatre had
circulated through the house. But it was
not merely to the romantic experiences Of it's
author that the comedy owed its success.
Its power, its pathos and its wit would of
themselves have insured that. It was so.
strong that it held that brilliant, that fastidi-
Gus audience from the first scene to the last,
At the close Of the second act NJ. Desnouettes
and q great critic-one Of those who can
speak in golden pieces, il they will-came
round to our box TO congratulate the
author. The color came back to Raoul's
cheek and his eye sparkled. From the
inmate Of a prison-cell-from q man all
but conference.-the become the cy-
nosure of Parish The men and
women who had but yesterday mentioned his
name with a cynical indifference or a Aippant
affectation Of horror, were now the willing
captives Of his genius-the unconscious mir
rors Of his moods, as the dialogue shifted from
grave to gay. Raoul had drunk of the cup of
despair; he was nov to taste Of the sparkling
draught Of fame. I feared the revulsion
might be too great. And SO, indeed, it might,
had not Gabrielle been there. But the love
whichha sustained Raoul in his hour of agony
Gained and steadied him in his hour Of tri-
umph. His eyes were turned less often to the
stage, where his ideas were finding body and
voice and clothing themselves in new power,
than to Gabrielle. AsforG Gabrielle, shepassed
the time in a charmed distraction between
her lover and the creatures Of his imagination.
For my own part, I am afraid I could not
that evening have given a very clear account
Of all that passed on the stage of the Odeon.
Indeed, nowhere, perhaps, in all the theatre
was Raoul's comedy followed with less intel
ligent attention than in the box occupied by
the author and his friends. But it was the
happiest hour Of my life, and the thought
which always came to mo was-What a won
derful thing is this lovel 1t has lifted Raoul
out Of the shadow of terror worse than death;
it has made him strong to receive with COM
posure IN ovatiGN from the elite Of Paris.
For it was, in truth, an ovation. I need
scarcely remark that Partisan audiences are
not, as q rule, prone to enthusiasm. But,
when the curtain fell that evening on Raoul's
comedy, the house fairly rose athim. Agreat
shout Of "Authorl AuthorI' went up from all
parts of the theatre. Then, for the first time,
Raoul turned pale and trcmbled slightly.
SIT is too much, r." he said, 'let US 60"
We hurried to the ~cloak-room, the roar of
tho theatre resounding in our ears. M. Des-
n~ouettes, as we learned a~fterward, came for
ward and assured the audience that the author
was deeply grateful for the reception they had
given his piece, and that only the state Of his
health prevented his appearing in answer to
their call.
p When we came out Of the Odeon I said:
"You have borne yourself bravely, my
dear Raoul, but your trials are not yet ended.
Even a Moliere is not privileged to break his
promises. You have conquered Paris, but
you must obey me-you must still follow"
"Are wo not to go back to the Rue de
TOdeonl' said Gabrielle. "What do you
mean"
Il mean that since Raoul has tonight pro-
vided SO well for the mind, it is for me to
provide for the body"-and ! led the little
party to Bignon's
What a supper that wasi We laughed-we
grew w~itty-at least some Of US did-we con-
graduated one another, we basked In the
fame Of u dramatist, we were eloquent,
childish, whimsical, satirical, sentimental
we uttered o thousand absurditieS-and we