The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1891-09-18
CARMEN sylvia AS A DRAMATIsT.

which has just Heen Produced in Vienna.
Correspondence Of the New York Tribune.]
The work ia question Is foHr.act drama
called "Master Manole," and 1t has been
written by Elizabeth, queen of Roumania, al.
ready we'll known In the literary world as
"Carmen sylys.1 i 10 really dramatization
OF a poem by Alexandra, the famous Ruma.
MIA poet, who was for some years before bis
death the queens intimate friend, as she her.
self declared, her literary master. This poem
In turn Is founded on an ancient Rumanian
legend about the building Of the great mon.
astery Of Curtea de Argesh, In Walschia.
The story runs that this superb Moorish edi.
fee was built by Master Manole, an italian
architect, who was assisted by ten Wallachian
builders. They planned their work we'll and
executed 1t faithfully. But every night all
that they had built during the day fell into
ruin. They consulted soothsayer who told
them that the spot where they were trying TO
build rested under curse. How could this
curse be removed? Only, said the wizard,by
entombing alive within the foundations of
the buildings some living person innocent OF
the crime which brought the curse upon the
place. An anxious consultation followed as
to who should thus be sacrificed. Finally
Master Manole proposed that the first female
relative Of anyone connected with the enter
prise, be she wife, daughter or sister, who
should come there on certain day bringing
food and drink, should thus be entombed.
To this the other workmen reluctantly
agreed.
The fatal day came. All the men had, un.
der solemn vow, refrained from mention.
Ing the matter to their families, or from doing |
or saying anything which would influence the |
coming or staying away of their women.folk.
They now watched anxiously to see who
would first appear. 1t proved to be none
other thansthe beautiful young wife of Mas
ter Manole himself. 1t was he who first saw
her coming while she was yet a considerable
distance. Frantic with agony he prayed that
the fates would turn her back, that lightning
would strike her dead, that flood would
sweep her away. or that In some way she
might be prevented from approaching the
10 vain. She reached the building and was
Immediately claimed as sacrifice. Bound
by bis oath, Manole could not withdraw from
The terrible covenant he had made with his
companions. He was. moreover, largely In.
.pired by professional ambition. 1t was the
IIcdiu VI his HE u COupIcJc Inc monastery
md make 1t the finest building 10 all Europe.
This be could rot do without making the sac.
,sldid not hesitate as put bis wife to death.
With bis own hand he placed her In a niche
n the masonry and then walled up the omen.
ng with stones cad mortar. The monastery
vas then completed without further trouble.
But when the reigning sovereign heard of
he crime he condemned Manole himself to
,e starved to death In the highest tower of [
he building.
So far. the story and the poem. The royal
utnor has made some changes for dramatic I
purposes. In her play there Is revolt Of the t
vorkmen against Manole because he 10 for. b
igner. There are various other intrgues &
gainst him BY jealous. competitors. The
rince, moreover, Is In love with Manole's v
Vife and Is plotting to gain possession of her. d
Is thus made to appear that Manole is jeal. i
US of bis wife, and is chiefly prompted by
nat passion when he puts her to death. A
adical change is also made In the climax of
le play. Instead Of being punished by the
rnce, the architect Is driven mad by re- b
lorse; and Instead of being starved to death a
! the tower, he dies on the threshold Of the a
nilding at the very feet Of the prince and ~
riDcess as they are entering 1t at the formal v
edicatiOn. d.
II will thus be seen that the play is not sc
My tragic, but exceedingly sombre through sc
1T, and even rtpelsnt In Its aggregation of
1rrors, but it contains number of very
rong situations. One of these is at the re. r,
ut Of the Wallchian builders against their Ar
allan master. The scene on the darkened hs
age. when the walls which were built dur. hs
g the d are falling into ruin at night, is a W
asferpiece of realism. The picture of the In
Iished monastery and the death of the mad Y To
chitect In the last act, are also most i'm.
essive. But the strongest scene In the
hole play occurs In the third act, when Man -,
, Is entombing alive his beautiful vie. '"