Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-09
very hard to please

very hard 10 please
At the end of the first act the stranger
rose, as if he had taken q sudden reSoiu-
ton, strobe over the big drum the Gym
balls and trombone, and disappeared
through the little door that leads from the
orchestra to the stage. Heinrich, WalIng
until the curtain rose, was walking up
and down in the wings, and when ne
came to the end Of his short promenade,
what was his terror 70 see, as ne turned,
standing in the middle Of the narrow cor
ridor, mysterious parsonage clotheo e3-
actly as he was, and who looked at MIN
with eyes whose greenish transparency
had strange profundity in the darkness;
the white, sharp, wide set teeth gave
something ferocious TO le sardonlc smile.
Heinrich could not fail TO recognize the
stranger whom he had seen at the Two
Headed Eagle, or rather the devil ID per
son, for it was he
s.Ah, ali, my young friend! you wish to
play the devil? You were very middnnS
in the first act and you would decloediy
give very poor idea OF me TO the good
citizens of Vienna. You viii allow me
TO replace you this evening; and as you
might interfere with me, Will SEND you
TO the cellar below the stage
Heinrich recognized the Prince OF Dark-
ness, and felt himself lost. Putting his
hand mechanically TO the little cross that
Katy had given him, he tried TO call LOT
help, and to murmur his formula OF exor-
cism; but terror choked him; he could
only utter feeble rattle. The deVn seized
Heinrich with his hooked hands by the
shoulders and pushed him by main force
through the floor; then he entered upon
the scene, when his cue came, Ike per-
feet actor.
His incisive, biting, venomous and truly
diabolic acting at frs. surprised the spec
tators. What especially produced great
effect was that sharp litter like the graf
ing of saw, that laugh of the damned
disappearing the joys OF Paradise Never
had an actor attained such power OF sar-
casm, such a depth Of villainy; the audi
ence laughed, but they trenbled- All the
audience was painting with emotion
phosphorfc sparks giinted from the fingers
Of the terrible actor; trains Of sparkling
flame ran from his feet; the light of the
lusters grew pale, the footlights shot out
reddish and greenish flashes; sort OF
sulphurous smell reigned in the theatre;
the spectators were, as 1t were, delirious,
and thunders Of frantic applause greeted
each phrase Of the marvellous Mephis-
topheles, who often substituted verses OF
his own invention for the verses of the
poet, and the substitution was always
happy and accepted with transports.
Katy, who was in the theatre, was in a
state of extraordinary alarm: she did not
recognize her dear Heinrich; she presaged
some misfortune with that spirit OF
divination which love gives.
The performance ended amidst in
describable enthusiasm. When the cur
tain fell the public called for Mephis-
topheles with loud cries. He was sought
for in vain; but at last scene shifter came
and told the manager that Heinrich had
been found in the cellar, where he had
probably fallen through trap.
The hapless actor WAS taken up. His
clothing was burned in places and on his
shoulders were deep scratches. They
spoke to him, but he did not answer. He
was dead.-From the French Of Theophile
Gautier