Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-06-03

changed. might alarm Gabrielle; who knowss'
You are right, Paul." he said; you are
more considerate than 1. But can you won
der at my impatlencef
First l took him TO hairdresser's on the
Boulevard ST Michel. Here his long black
hair was trimmed and the last weeks growth
of beard removed. Then we drove TO the
Rue Daupbine and entered our old chamber,
where We had been so happy together, AID
where / had teen 50 wretched sss0ne. The
honest servant and his wife Nan-e1ts poured
out their congratulations, but ilaoul seemed
scarcely to hear them. " hen be crossed the
threshold be shuddered and passed his hand
before his eyes, as if to shut out sight OF
horror. l fancied tina. some shape-sosns
scene that he had befeid IN that room Ii bis
dreams. had again arisen before him. Then
he once more relapsed into kind of stupoT.
confess began to feel alarmed about Raoul,
When the servant and his wife had left Us,
/ showed Raoul a suit Of evening dress, laid
out on his bed.
Now said, ''you will oblige me By put
ting On these at once There is not moment
to spare unless you wish me TO break an APP
pointment
Raoul gave me puzzled looa.
What does this mean - he said: II do
not understand
You viii soon. Remember your promise
you were to obey me in everything for this.
one night If you do not, warn you, Raoul,
shall not De the only one whom you VIII dis
appoint"
Raoul asked no further questions, but a.
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. Ia q few minutes it drew up before
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 e
allowed him no time for reflection. led
him I'D the staircase and through the cor
ridor to the stage-boxeS. | knocked at the
door of one of these, opened it, and half
pushed Raoul within. Then closed the door
and waited.
After an interval of few minutes the doc,
was reopened, and Rao,il drew me into tbs
box l found myself with my friend and
Gabrielle Durnaine The light was dim, for
the curtains of the box were drawn, but II
was not so dim that I could not discern the
change that bad come 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. | had seen her before in her mo-
ments of gayety and i'll her time of anguish,
but had never seen her looking so lovely as
she did then. 1t seemed as il her trial had
not only tested her heart, but had in some
subtitle way heightened her beauty and given
it new dignity and sweetness-a soft witch
cry, calm, spiritual rapture born of deep
ened thought and proved devotion.
] need not repeat here what Gabrielle and
Raoul said to me as we three sat, holding
each other by the hand, in the darkened box
in the Odeon. Suffice it to say that they so
exaggerated my share in restoring Raoul to
liberty that. protest, it was almost a relief
to me when the door opened, and there APP
peared NJ Sapinaud, leading in Nine. Du-
maine Then there were fresh congratula-
tons, and we were stin in the midst Of 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 filed the
theatre.
Then drew back the curtain of our box,
and looked, for the first time, on the audience
that had assembled to witness Raours play.
The house was crowded from floor to ceiling.
looked from the circle, from the beauty and
/ .
dresses, the brilliant uniforms, the sparkling
jewels, the flowers, the white-gloved 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
filled me with exultation l had no fear for
the success of Raours comedy. l had no doubt
[ that hafnra the NIGHT WIS over sevaral 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 IF Raours liberation, and a
rumor that he was present i'll the theatre had
circulated through the house But it was
not merely to the romantic experiences of It's
/ author that the comedy owed it's success.
/ Its power, its pathos and its wit would of
/ themselves have insured that II was so
strong tnat it held that brilliant, that fastidi-
/ Gus audience from the first scene to the last.
/ At the close of the second act III Desnouettes
| and great critic-one of those who can
| speak in golden pieces, Il they will-came
round to our box to congratulate tbs
author The color came back TO Raoul's
cheek and his eye sparkled. From the
inmate of a prison-cell-from q man ali
but conference.-the become the cy-
nosure Of Paris The men and
women who had but yesterday mentioned his
name with a cynical Indifference or a ffppaut
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; be was now to taste Of the sparkling
draught Of fame. ] feared the revuIsion
might be too great. And SO. indeed, ii might,
had not Gabrielle been there But the love
which had sustained RaouI in his hour Of agony
Gained and steadied him IN his hour Of tn
umph. His eyes were turned less often to tine
stage, where his ideas were timing body and
voice and clothing themselves Ia new power,
than TO Gabrielle. Asfor Gabrielle, she passed
the time IN charmed distraction between
her lover and the creatures Of lis imagination.
For my own part arm afraid / could not
that evening have given 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 boz occupied by
the author and bis friends. But Il was the
happiest hour Of my life. and the thought
which always came 70 me was-What won
derful thing Is this Lowell IL has lifted Raoul
cut Of the shadow Of terror worse than death; ;
1t has made him strong 10 reossive with COIN
posure an ovation from the elite Of Paris
For It was, in truth an ovation L need
scarcely remark that Partisan audiences are
not, as a rule, prone TO enthusiasm But,
when the curtain fell that evening oE RaouIs
comedy, the house fairly rose at him A great
shout Of Author. AuthoTF went up from all
parts Of the theatre. Then, for the first time,
Rsoul turned pals and trembled slightly.
1T Is too much" he said, sc, Us go.s