The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-04-13
play the part of Mephistopheles better than

play the part of n M,ephistopheles better than
''Humphv' said the stranger, grinding
his sharp teeth together, while his blue
green eyes flashed. ''Mr. Heinrich is a
young man ian. Of talent admire him
we'll he has much to learn.'' Then,
turning to the actor, he said sud
denly: Have you ever seen the devil?"
putting the question in such sharp, mock
ing tone that chill ran through his hear
ers. THAT is absolutely essential" he con-
tlnued, "for the perfect rendering of the
part. The other night was in the theatre
of the Porte de Carinthie, and I was not
satisfied with your laugh-it was laugh of
mere mischievousness at the most. This is
the way you should do it, my dear little
Heinrich
gave sharp, shrill peal of laughter that
was SO malicious and sardonic that the
music and the dancers stopped simultane-
ously. The laugh lasted for several min
utes and made the windows rattle, and the
young men, although they were struck with
dlsmay, could not refrain from joining in.
When they recovered themselves and looked
around, the room was still ringing with the
echoes of that knocking laugh, but the
stranger was nowhere to be seen.
Theatre of the Porte de Carinthie.
The next evening, when Heinrich ap-
peared on the stage, there sat in the first
row of the orchestra seats the mysterious
guest of the Double Headed Eagle. At
every word the young actor uttered the
stranger shook his head, scowled, smacked
his tongue against his palate and gave every
sign of Impotence and disapproval.
bad! badn' he was heard to mutter in an
undertone, while his neighbors. surprised
at his behavior, applauded wildly and said
to each other: THAT gentleman is hard to
please"
At the end of the first act the stranger
rose as if he had taken sudden resolution,
and climbing over the balustrade into the
orchestra, passed rapidly between the big
drum and the gong, and strobe through the
doorway under the stage. Heinrich, while
waiting for the next act to begin, was walk
ing up and down a passage behind the
scenes, and on turning round he saw, to his
dismay. person dressed exactly as he was,
i'll red and black. but with greenish glitter
i'll his eyes, a sardonic expression, and
sharp, white, separated teeth. The young
man could not but recognize the unknown
of the inn, or rather Satan himself, for it
was he.
"Ah, ha, my young friend,'' cried the in
truder, you want to play the devil, do
you! Let me tell you that you cut such a
poor figure in the first act that l cannot al
low you to continue. You would give the
good people of Vienna wretched opin-
ion of me. l will take your place this
evening, and as your presence would annoy
me. will send you down to the sub-cellar.
Heinrich knew he was in the power of the
evil one, and mechanically grasping Katy's
cross, which he always wore, he tried to
scream. He was unable to utter sound,
however, and the devil, pressing his claw
like hands upon the young actors shout
ders, forced him to the floor, then left him
and went on the stage.
His biting, venomous and really diaboli-
cal manner at first merely surprised the
audience.
Heinrich is in the right vein tonight"
was heard on all sides. What produced
great effect was his sneering laugh, harsh as
the grating of u saw. bitter as the laugh of
tho damned disappearing the joys of para
disc. Never before had such depths of
tiendishness been portrayed upon that
stage; the people trembled and painted with
emotion. Phosphorescent sparks flashed
from the fingers of the terrible actor: line
of flames glittered at his feet; the light
from the chandelier grew pale; the foot
lights burned lurid red, and the smell of
sulphur filled the air.
The audience was in a del!rium, and
thunders of applause greeted every sem
tence uttered by the wonderful Mephis-
topheles, who more than once substituted
words of his own for those of the poet.
Little Katy, to whom Heinrich had sent a
box ticket. could hardly recognize her be-
loved, and she was filled with vague pre-
sentiment, foreseeing misfortune with that
power of divination which love. the souls
second sight, bestows.
The performance ended with a tempest Of