St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-19
Something About Two of Frances Great
est Dramatists and Their Re-
cent Works.
Well Written Scenes and Situations,
Which Have Won Popularity 70 rot
s'Patrie'' and s.Chamtlla.o ~
Authors Who Have Done Much TO
Carry the French Stage Away From
the Dumas School.
Special Correspondence to the Globe.

genius for theatrical representations, did
not approach the perfection displayed by
VictOrien Sardou in Patrie. The element Is
of the work were found i'll Motley'S History
of the Netherlands. and some of the inspi-
ration came from G0ethe'S Egmont. Brus-
sells, in 1868, is the scene. of the DRAMA
the Due d'Alva. who governs the Neither
lands. executes all the Flemish inhabitants,
who are not Catholics and Spanish subjects.
Brussels is a deserted city-death and desc
lation everywhere. All this because the
people will not give up their liberty. Only
one person can save the cOuntry-the
Prince of Orange, but he is exiled, and has
not money enough to organize a conspiracy.
A Flemish gentleman, the Comte de Ry-
soor, vows he will save his country or die.
With the aid of his friend, karloo van der
Moot, he arranges an Instruction. and pre-
pareS to open the gates of the city to the
Prince of Orange, who has found several
thousand adherentS. The bell-ringer is to
give the signal; if there is no danger the
wedding bells will ring, and the prince will
enter the city; if there be danger the funeral
bells will toll, and the prince will flee. AT
the last moment the Comte de RySoor dis
covers that his wife, whom he adoreS, has
for long time been the mistress OF his dear
friend, karloo. But KarlOO is brave and
can defend his country; he must do his
duty and stife his hatred. Take this
sword" he says to Karloo, land go to bat
tie. where your duty calls you and where
mine sends You. If you die do not fall like
a criminal-die Ikea solder-die martyr.
Go and ayenge Inc of yourself. You have
taken my honor, give me liberty. You
have taken my wife, give me my
country. We shall decide afterwards if your
virtue washes out your crime, and If owe
you more gratitude than hatred?
The Due d'Alva discovers the project of
the Comte de Rysoor. and at the moment
that Rysoor and his friends enter the city
hall the Spanish soldiers seize them. The
Due d'Alva says to the poor bell-ringer:
''Give the signal to the Prince of Orange,
and with one blow we will destroy the
whole army of heretics."
do not ring" implores RySoor.
81 am only a poor man." says the fright
ened ''they will kill HE, and l
have wife and children"
''Three millions of men to save-those
are your Children replies Rysoor. The
poor man goes to the belfry and rings
the funeral knell. The Prince of Orange
is saved. but the bell-ringer dies an obscure
martyr.
Rysoor and Karloo are imprisoned with
the others, but the dukes dying daughter
obtains pardon for Karloo, whom she loves
in secret. Karloo refuses, but RySoor
obliges him to accept. 1--WE are betrayed, :"
says he, escape and avenge us. Xiii the
traitor, watch over my wife, and pardon
YOU"
Set at liberty, KarIoo seeks the miserable
M hoe ic,t no
wife of Rysoor. who hates her husband.
and has betrayed him in order to live in
peace with her lover Karloo. He has sworn
to kill the traitor. and he stabs the wife of
Rysoor, after which he takes his place with
his companions, who march to execution.
The first act is perhaps the finest in real
ism, but the tableauX of the Due de Alva'S
house, the torture room, and the road to
execution,
ARE ALL MAGNIFICENT.
1t seems Sardou was not satisfied with the
manner in which the Porte Saint Martin
theater intended to mount "Patrie" for it's
renewal last night. His ideas have changed
since 1869, when it was brought out for the
first time, at the same theatre. At all the
rehearsalS, SardOu entered into the spirit of
each role; he made himself actor, promp-
ter, machinist etc., and finally changed all
the stage decorations. Victorien Sardou is
very difficult to interview, but if admission
is once gained to his Sanctum, he needs but
the cue for long and brilliant monologue.
A friend and myself found him this morn
ing willing to receive US. Walking back
ward and forward after greeting us and re-
ceiving our congratulations for his success
yesterday he said: ''All goes we'll with
me now. but when was young suffered
from want; worse than all, from wounded
pride. They did not wish my plays; they
did not receive me. Many a time have l
been turned away from their doors and
gone home in despair to find pupils so that
| might buy bread. One day heard that
Scribe, the great dramatist, had said that
my plays were not we'll arranged for the
stage. | determined to study his style,
eating little at dinner. in order to buv a
candle, and with no fire in my room,
chose from his repertoire play in three
acts. After carefully reading the first l
arranged the second and third as thought
he must have done. Comparing mine with
his l was satisfied, for agreed with him.
Yes; those were hard times for me. What
could do? Write for the newspaperss
They did not pay in those days and would
suit? Hunger. as usual, and lost time in
addition. L was determined to work at
theatrical plays, and went from theater to
theater. If l did not succeed l knew /
must kill myseif-or go to America.
fortunately, l always had good shoes.
A kind shoemaker gave me credit for ten
years because he had faith in my genius.
Now that l have attained success, he often
says to me: You owe it all to my shoes.
Without them you could not have tramped
about, consequently never have been
great"
More than fifteen years ago OctavesFeuil-
let decided to write the play which has
just made great success at the Theatre
Franchise. The first name of "Chamillac"
WASHES Pharisiens. and Feuillet intended
to portray those philanthropists who cover
their sins with the cloak of religion: but.
afraid of being misunderstood, he abandoned
that idea. Last year FeniIIet told Couuelin
that "Chamillac" was destined for his thea
ter, and promised to finish it immediately.
His physicians ordered rest in Switzerland
Switzerland the author accepted, but rest
he does not understand: so "Chamillac"
was finished i'll the hamlet, which abounds
in souvenirs of Jean Jacques Rousseau.
The play is in five acts, and the plot is
somewhat weakened by side incidents-here
it is in a few words: Gen. de la Bartherie
was once quartered in Africa and Chamilac
was lieutenant in his regiment devoted to
gambling. One day he owed Is, 600 francs
that he could not pay, and, making virtue
of necessity, stole the amount from his gen
eral. The general caught him and gave
him fifteen minutes to blow out his brains.
Chamillac begged for the privilege of dying
in battle, which was granted. He returned
from his expedition against the Kalybes.
covered with wounds; was pardoned by the
general; inherited all immense fortune from
his uncle, and resigned his position in the
army. Twelve years pass. ChamilIac has
devoted his life to the sorrowing and the
wicked, and finally saves fallen girl.
Sophie Ledien, makes her pupil of great
artist and promises to marry her. The
poor girl discovers that ChamilIac is in. love
with the daughter of Gen. de la Bartherie:
at first seems heart-broken, but at last de-
cides to marry her teacher, the artist Hug
onnet, and at the same time give freedom to