Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-03-10


Tor the part. Elvira, overwhelmed by the
scorn and despair of her lover, and con-
scious oi the treachery which had
separated them, is yet full Of blind re.
solve to play the part she has assumed to
the bitter end, to save her own name and
ner fatner's from dishonor and to
luterpose the irrevocable barrier of her
marriage vow between herself and Maciss.
Suddenly they are interrupted By the APP
proach OF the duke and of Fernan Perez.
Elylra throws herself between her husband
and her lover, and, having captured the
sword Of Macias, hands it to the duke.
Mscias is arrested after a tumultuous scene
and Is led away, shaking off Eliyira's eff.
forts to safe him with bitter contempt, and
breaking loose from her with TIE prophecy
that In every joy of the future and every
incident OF her welded life the spectre of
his murdered love will rise before her. and
every echo and every breeze repeat the
fatal name Macias."
Turing the rapid give and take of this
trying scene Kendal saw, with a kind of
incredulous admiration, that Isabel Breth-
erton never once lost herself, that every
gesture was true, every word struck home
Her extraordinary gr5ce, her marvellous
beauty, were all subordinated to, forgot
ten almost in, the supreme human passion
speaking through her. Macias, in the
height of his despair, while he was still
alone with her, had flung her his sword
declaring that he would 20 forth and seek
his death an unarmed and defeuseless man.
Then, when he becomes conscious of the
approach OF his rival, the soldiers instinct
reviyes in him; he calls for his sword: she
refuses him, and ha makes q threatening
step towards her.
Msc.-My sword, Elvira.
EIvira-Never
Beatriz-Ah! they are here. It is too
late!
Elvira-Gol No blood shall flow for
me. Come no neaTer-or I shall sheathe it
in this breast.
All the desperate energy of loving wo-
man driven to bay was in her attitude as
she repealed Macias, whereas in the agony
Of her last clinging appeal to him, as his
guards led him of, every trsce of her mo.
mentary heroism had died away. Faint
and trembling, recOiling from every harsh
word Of his as from blow, she had fol-
lowed him towards the door, and in her
straining eyes and seeking outstretchtd
hands as she watched him disappear, there
was q path,s 80 true, so poignant, that it
laid spell upon the audience, and the
curtain fell amid a breathl5ss silence,
which made the roar that instantly fellow
ed dOubly noticeable
But it was in the third act that she won
her highest triumph The act opened with
& scene between Elvira and her husband,
in which she imp'ored him, with the hu-
mility and hopslessness of grief, to allow
her 10 retire from the world and to hide
the beauty which had wrought such roin
from the light of day. He, in whom
jealousy has taken fierce root, refuses
with reproach and insult and in
the full tide of her passionate reaction
against his tyranny, the news is brought
her by Bestriz that FernaD, in his deter.
mination to avoid the duel with Mscias on
the morrow, which the duke, in accord
ance with knightly usage, has been forced
to giant, has devised means for assassinat-
ing bis rival in prison. Naturally, her
whole soul is thrown into an effort TO save
her lover. She brides his guards. She
sends Bsat-iz to den0unce the tTeachery of
her husband to the duke, and finally, she
herstlf penetrates into the cell OF Maciss
to warn him of the fate that threatens him
and to persuade him TO fly.
Il was, indeed, q dramatic moment
when the gloom of Macias' cell was first
broken by the gimme. of the hand lamp,
which revealed TO the vast, expectant au-
dience The form of Elvira standing on the
threshold, searching the darkness with her
shaded eyes; and, in the great love scene
which followed, the first sharp impression
was steadily deepened word by word and
gesture after gesture by the genius Of the
actress. Elyira finds Macias in a mood of
calm and even joyful waiting FOR the NOR
row. His honor is satisfied; death
and battle are before him and
the proud Castilan is almost at peaca
The vision OF Elvira's pale beauty snd his
quick intnitioa Of the dangers she has run
in forcing her way ohim produce sud
den revision of feeling towards her, g
flood Of passionate reconciliation; he is at
her feet oncs more; be feels that she Is
tue, that she is his. she, in frerzy Of
fear, cannot succeed for all her efforts in
dimming his ecstasy Of Joy or in awaken
ing him 10 the necessity OF flight, and al
last lie even resents her terror for him,
her entreat es that he will forget her and
escape. 4
"Great heavens" he says, turning from
her in despair, 'it wss not love, 1t wac
only pity that brought her here" Then,
broken down by the awful pressure OF the
situa ion, her love re6ists his no longer,
but rather she sees, in the full expression
of her own heart, the only chance Of recon
cling him to life and of persuading him to
take thought for his own safety.
"Elvira-Sea, Macias, these tears-each
one is yours. is wept for yen. Oh, If to
soften that proud will of yours this hapless
woman must needs open all her weak
heart TO you, if she must needs tell you
that she lives only in your life aud dies in
your death, her lip will brace itself even
to that pitiful confession! All me- these
DDOT Cuttkd nave bcNu % hAaAShOA VIM
weeping they have no bushes left.
To her this supreme avOwal is the only
means of making him believe her report of
his danger, and turn towards ight; but IN
him it produces a joy which bauishes all
thought of personal risk, and makes sep
aration from her worse than death. When
she bids him fly, he replies by one word,
'Camew and not till she has promised TO |
guide him to the city gates and to follow
him later on his journey will he move 2
,tep towards freedom. And then,
when her dear hand Is about to
,pen TO him the door OF his prison,
Il is too la.e. Fernan and his assas-
,ins are at hand, the stairs are surrounded,
md escaps ia cut of Again, in these last
moments when the locked door still holds
between them and the death awaiting
hem. her mood il one Of agoniz9d terror,
,ot for herself, but for him; while he,
xalted far above all fear, supports and
,alms her.
"Nsrcias-Think no more Of the world
90 -, daefrcvod ne We owe IL uOff-