New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-12
DUNASS CONFESSIONS.
HOW TIE NOVELIST: son BECAME 4
DRAMAT. C. ACTUOR

DA-iMAi Az
Alexandra Dumas fls has been setting forth
some interesting "reminiscences OF his carly life
recollections especially notable, as they concern
his dramatic debut
II fell among the dramatic authors" ne says I'm
an even more remarkable way than my father HA
at least. felt driven by an irresistible impus@
which was awakened BY accident. While at his
desk one day In the Palais Roya-in the Office OF
the secretary of the Duke of Orlcans-he found
q volume OF French history by AUqget, opened
at certain place. Three months later his piece
Henry III and His Court" had been accepted
by the Theatre Francois. and the great success Of
the piece decided the author to enter literary
career.
with me 1t was different Before La Dame aux
Cameiias / had produced nothing which could lead
10 the belief that 1 was called TO be a dramatic
author | felt no more leaning toward the theatre
than toward other branchcs of literature really
Old not know whether l had genuine talent a
writer or not. About this time-that is af,er
the revolution OF the year 1851 was sufficiently
aware of my small amount OF fancy and power Of
observation to say to myself that II my novel. La
Dame aux Cameiias youthful book written
rapidly in "A bachelors rooms at St Germaine-had
been accepted by tho public with special favor 1t
was due TO the fact that one could recognize on
every page the genuneness Of twenty-year-oh
heart.
Mon Deu. Perhaps 70 initiate papa On the school
benches had naturally said to myself that as an
authors son. IL also my duty to spoil paper
and when fifteen years old / wrote verses. Ana
then wrote more verses after had left school to
pass away the time, so to speak, without attach.
ing Importance 20 them than to the c.san
which | smoked and for which my father paid
Later. when had the means TO pay for my Own
cigars. | broke myself Of the habit OF smoking.
I - in sho-a lap tn
speak honestly. debts.
In the beginning that went well enough" con-
tlnues Dumas Il had just left college. was still
young. had simple tastes lived moiestly at first
alone and later with my father, ard accompanied
him on his travels. Thus / was with him In Spain
at the time of the marriage Of the Infanta to the
Duke of Montpensier Ny father worxed-he
worked in fact. alwaya-w!ote long letters, giving
his Impressions filed with fancy and hunior As
for me- | wandered about In the hunt OF adj
venture, and plucked here and there memories
among the pleasantest of ny youth. We had as
travelling companions August Maquet the painters
Louis 3oulanger and Eugene Graud, and Desbar-
olles. who then had begun 70 read his destiny In
his hand. From Spain wandered to Africa, and
visited Algiers and Tunis. / was at that time
thorough traveller, and with my father had visited
Tire banks of the Rhine and Italy. n short lived
much with him and went with hin 70 Belgium,
where he settled for time after the revolution OF
1913 In the frs; years after my student days l
wrote novels. previously hGd written verses, to
keep myself busy and 10 Go Others did. Ny now
els had at leas; the excuse that they brought NE
In little money-but IL was very little
I'm the mean time, ny expenses had increased
greatly. BY an easy-song. attractive kind OF life
divided between the theatre, good dinners and long
Journeys | had piled up Il Sood-sized dept ohe
beautiful morning, upon awakening, ! calculated
that had 5ocoo francs liabilities. Then went to
my father and described my situation to him.
Yes. my friend re replied, that is very SIM
pie. You must simply work and pay the things
He sat at his desk. the pen in his hand. and con'
tinued with that smile on his lips the giants work
which he had carried many years That was
n lesson for me. On that day saw clearly tnat
the moment had come to renounce the useless ana
purposeless life which l had led up 10 that tiirs
/ that my father had suggested the best means
to got me out OF my embarrassment IL was time
for me TO take my place In the ranks or the WORK.
the more so as knew that should work
myself out of those ranks finally II ] really pos
sessed talent.
while in this mental state, when behind the
scenes Of the Theatre Hstorique one evening"
Antony Beraud the former director OF the Amoigr
proposed to write drama with me. declaring tEa'
he had found the material In La Dame aux
Camelias.' To tell the truth. had already thousm
OF placing the piece the stage But my father
had dissuaded me from undertaking il. He laughed
mt my first words and ended my EFFORT Wy sa!"s'
In that book there Is no stage piece . - A..
''Berauds proposal gave me new hope, says w
author. II was after all not the only one WIZ
thought that Marguerite Gauthier's novel might te
the foundation Of dramatic study: me saous 81.
was attractive. | accented the offer and saw az
ready-Oh. power u youthful imaginasion:.tns pos pos
sibty OF paying some of my debts But the dres,ii
Of short duration for soon saw that ! eor,Ji
the material cor heavy melodrama for the theatre
whose direction he hoped TO obtain again A bir
the condition that he sign his name as the Sole
author. ard give me the half Of the receipts .,,,
moro OF this excellent plan But one day re.
ceived Berauds adaptation for the stage
seemed TO me the rnadiest thing In the n wosSSt
came suddenly to write the piece myself. IL ca anS
upon me Ike fever and in eight days the WORT pnt
somewhat embarrassed because | he'd acted con-
trary to my fathers advice; | went TO the cop,
list with my drama decided to make him s%ea!
when / was surprised bv my father, who entered
manuscript In hand and interrupted the con yersss
ton h sG was Ggnns his 40 S NV father
referred TO his experience and his repnN,a.iX.:
and punished me most cruelty by compeil&vS
Must i tell morc?' asks the author. In M tns
second act tears were IN his eyes. In the th'f ~
act he cried like a child. Eut ! was obliged ws 70
cease reading. had amusement 70, 9nd wa, wss
forced to leave the room to keep L. NY iat iwe
had promised to wait 70 hear me reaa ,he neck He
had been unable command his patience; an Ia
he'd read 10 the end. He laughed through n M
but also endless trouble with the censor da
prophesied correctly The piece had endesd
cul;ies to overcome before II vas eeibuged
to believe So because the greatest stage mas.s1
OF those DAYS said so and the public sppea,rsrs
mIned to worK. But the end OF the whole s.o's
is that | owe 1t 10 my father that - DC 70 nay
dramatic author. for by compei''gn ~, wn ny