The morning call., 1892-03-27
audience. sIgnor CampanIle will be the


hear, my poor friends opera. Thursday
came and found me punctually in my place.
IL was full house; pretty women, dia-
monds and fine dresses were as plentiful as
they always are in an English opera-house
L saw the faces Of many well-known musical
critics in the stalls around me, and WON
dered II that rogue, Campanile, would win
MS Det- l almost found it in my heart to
wish that Koffsky's opera would be fail
ure. viii not describe the music; all l
can say is that it pleased me from the first
note TO the last, that it was full of melody
without being commonplace. and in parts
rose TO height OF passion and pathos that
reused the audience to frequent bursts of
enthusiasm.
Good, very good,' 1 heard c.. the
critic, vino sat beside me, whisper to his
companion, but quite unlike Campanile's
usual style and incOmparably superior.
WONDER how he came TO write such an
opera"
The curtain went down on the last act,
the music dying away in a faint tremulous
repetition OF the motif of the hero'S love
song III the second act. There was a roar
OF applause from the whole house; the
operas success was complete. l looked at
my watch, it was three minutes to IL, and /
hurrledly dived for my hat and coat l had
just got them on when a shout for the COM
poser was ia sed from the gallery and taken
up by the entire audience. Curious to see
whether Campaniie would have the audacity
L
was moinentary pause. during which the
shout of Composer! Composer" be-
came louder than ever, and then the heavy
curtain was rolled back and figure came
slowly forward. Good heavensi 1t was
koffsky! kotsky, whom / bad left last
week more dead than alive! What pluck
the maE must possess to have dragged HIM
self here, As koffsky advanced slowly
across the stage sudden and intense silence
Tell upon the house. A door must suddenly
haan ma ilit n
wind sweep across my face and curious
chilly sensation creep through the roots OF
my hair. ,,, %, -
INJURED the critic beside me. and it seemed
TO NE that he was very pale. At the same
moment L became aware that L felt ex-
tremely i'll at ease, not to say frightened,
but why and wherefore could rot imagine.
koffSky paused i'll the center of the stage
and bowed solemnly. / shall never forget
his lace. lie Was very pale, paler and
more deathly than ever, and his thin face
woe an expression of intense and tri-
umphant Joy such as 1 have never seen in
any human cOuntenance. He walked slowly
across the stage and disappeared behind
the wings. drew deep breath; the curl
Gus chilly feeling that oppressed me van
lshed, and lelt the blood returning to my
! cheeks. AT the same moment the applause
| broke out again, mingled with Kisses from
| Campanie's friends. who naturally re-
/
| of the evening. While koffskv stood before
| the curtain l had felt rooted 10 the spot, but
| now an intense curiosity st Zed me rs To how
| the man had got there and what had hap
pened 10 bin al the hands of the esuIna-
Gly furious Campaniie. But how was it that
| Campaniie had allowed him to appear at
! all ? Absorbed In these queries | hurried
! 10 the gTeeHroOm. | found CampanIle sur
\ rounded by friends and musicians, all
plvinC him with eager questions which he
| ral in nal of u,,
! huddled In chair: he looked panic
| stricken, ana was hopping his forehead
/ with large pink handkerchief. When he
saw me he started up and caught hold of
| my arm with a visibly trembling hand
| "Blenc0we," he said they tell me you
| know that Scoundrelly Pole. What was
he doing here? Why the devil ala the fell
! low behave like that? Does he drink? Is
| be mad -
81 tell you l couldn't help iti'' stammered
! Campsnile. II was just going Cd N.Y.
self. of course, when-when suddenly there
/ was KoffSky, standing right in front OF me-
! | swear he wasn't there before-I swear
never saw him pass, but there he was. OF
! course, / tried to stop the feilow-but
| couldn't novel L felt ~ cold as ice-I feel
so still. I'll tell you what, there's some
! thing wrong somewbere-there's something
| devilish cur:ous!' He shvered as he spoke,
| whether from conscience ar chill / cannot
/
Grel had all the appearance Of q man who
| has had a severe shock.
Where is Koffsky now?" / asked
~ don't know" shuddered CampaniIe.
| collapsing into his chair again in heap
| 81 haven't seen him Since-Since then: |
/ hope to God | shall never see him again %
! he added, under hi: breath just then
| servant came up with some bottle and
| glasses. and / saw him swallow down half
a tumbler OF brandy as though il had been
| tiraaA L har,
| feel scared myself. An underlined curious
feeling of terror weighed upon me, and
! without losing any more time L left the
/ greenrOom and hurried into the street
/ Koffsky must have gone straight home, so
| | took hanson ana drove oft to his lodg-
| ings. To my surprise the door was ajar:
pushed il open and went in. The house
was very silent; there was no light on the
stairs. Had they all gone to bed? But
was determined to solve the mystery OF
| Koffsky's appearance at the opera, and
| striking match stumbled upstairs and
| entered the little sittinR-room. 1t was
empty, save for the two children paused
| a moment, uncertain what tn do, then, see
| ing light under Koffsky's door. knocked
| gently.
"HushP' said Mrs. KOffsky's low voice
from within; ''hushl ] will come cut to
| you"
| waited for nearly half an hour; then the
| door opened softly and she came out. a
| light showed me terribly white. tear
| stained face.
Forgive me for disturbing you at such
an hour" | began. "but | am anxious about
| your husband Has he come home YETI"
''He has gone home" she answered, with
a curious emphasis on the word.
"Gone home-where? To Poland? That
can't be! l saw him less than an hour
| ago
nd l.,
Dead !" gasped; "but. Mrs Koffsky, 1
| saw him."
For an answer she led me into her room.
| The sheet was drawn ND over the bed, but
under it 4 could see the outline of a still
| figure. She drew down the sheet Yes,
there was Koffsky's dead white face, fixed
| in that same look of triumphant Joy it had
worn on the boards Of Drurv Lane. "he
| is happy now" said his wife. softly.
! felt cold with horror. / realized now
what was the meaning, of the chill, intan-
| gihle terror that had haunted me.
AT what hour did he die? asked in a
voice that sounded quite unlike my own
"At H." she answered. | felt myself
| turning paler. 1t was at IL that KOffsky
had appeared before the curtain at Drury
| Lane.
Good God!" cried, Il have seen your
| husbands sDiritt'
She took me into the sitting room, and I
| told her what l had seen, in a whisper In
avoid rousing the children. There is some
thing CHASTITY in whisper, and when had
ended my story felt more terrified than
! ever. Mrs Koffsky looked at me with an
| awestruck face.
1T is marvellous" she murmured, "but
| yon don't know vet how marvellous. Bee
! thoven knew that his opera was to be given
| tonight, and all day he has seemed wait
| ing-waiting. he has been terribly ill: a.
dozen times | thought he was dying-dead-
but he rallied; il seemed as though ne
| would not die. Sutdenly This evepipo a.
| the clock struck half, asst g. he started.
moved. and half raised himself in his bed
"'HarkP brecried, harkl Don't you hear?
| 1t has begun! my musiel hear itv