Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-04-14

mat 10 was uninteliigibls. but q hind OF
alphabet on the table showed him that IL
had been written by signs agreed upon.
He stood az though thunderstruck. Sud-
denly Jeanne put on a hat and threw q
long brown cloak over her stage dress.
"What are you going TO dor" he ex-
olaimod
"I am going to Rogcri'
"But, In heavens name, Jeanne, stay q
little while. The curtain win bs going
up. Think what you are doing You win
be ruined-you will spoil your whole life.
Wait till tomorrow"
"Listen," said Jeanne, in clear, dscid-
ed tone. 1T IL now a quarter 10 10. i
know there Is q train from the Care de
pEst at IL, for / have sent my letters by a
friend Of Rogers who Is going by 1t. II
you prevent my going by that train, you
see this dagger-wsll, win kill myself
with iti''
Louis stepped back, dazed and horror
struck. Jeanne opened the door, went
quickly out by back door, and Louis fol
lowed her, watched her hail cab and
drive away.
When Belcourt re-entered the theater,
he found every ono behind the scenes In a
terrible state Of excitement.
Mile. de Bolney could not be found The
house was impatient, and the manager
Desperate He was sending for the police
that she might be found and arrested
Suddenly Beloourt, at the IDEA Of the pos
sible fatal consequences Of Jeanne's flight,
determined on a bold move
He stepped up 10 one Of his friends who
had beon taking part In the play, whis
! pered 10 him and appeared to be begging
him to consent to what he Iasksd-
Finally the friend yielded, opened the
door and walked toward the stage. Then
Bolcourt, pushing away the director and
stage manager who attempted TO stop him,
gave the signal 10 lift the curtain and ap
peared himself before the house A deep
silence ensued
Ladies' and gentlemen, said Belcourt,
"Aflle. dc Bolney has reosived a telegram
announcing that there has been a disaster
on the German frontier and our army has
! sustained a defeat. She is overwhelmed
by the news, and we must ask you to have
patience until she feels able to continue
her role"
A dismal silence followed these words
Beloourt's friend now stepped forward and
executed the order he had received:
"We, too, are surely as good patriots as
Mile. de Bolneyi Surely the play ought not
to be finished before a French audience
who have Just heard that our army Is dc
featedl'
Cries Of "Bravoi" were heard, and unan-
imously the whole house rose and prepar
ed to leave the theater.
Belcourt had saved the honor of Jeanne
and Of the theater.
The rumor Of the defeat Of Reichshof-
fen, which the government was keeping
secret, was soon spread abroad In Paris by
the spectators who had heard IL from Bel
court and the news caused a fearful calm
In the gay capital.
Belcourt had been congratulated by all
the authorities Of the theater on his happy
idea, but just as he was preparing 30 leave
the theAter that same night he was seized
by police official and conducted to the
Mazas prison on a charge of "having di-
vulged state secret" crime always
punished at least by hard labor, and In
time Of war by death.
For more than month Belcourt had
been In Mazas prison, with nothing 10
look forward to but dishonor or death He
had besn questioned over and over again
as to how he had discovered the secret, but
In vain; nothing could induce him to give
any details, for he did not know whether
Jeanne would forgive him for having said
90 much as he had. The next day sentence
was to be passed upon him.
Successive defeats had imbittered the
minds Of his judges, and 1t was pretty sure
that he had little chance Of getting off
without paying the full penalty of his
crime Belcourt was thinking sadly Of
his hopeless love for Jeanne, which had
caused him to aot as he had done In order
90 save her, when suddenly the door Of his
cell opened and the porter announced
Nine Countess de Morfeuills. 1t was
Jeanne herself, dressed In the deepest
mourning
Her beautiful hair had some silvery
threads, her face was cold and severe as
marble, her beautiful mouth was rigid,
her eyes seemed to be gazing at some invis-
ible object, and she had deathly pallor-
such as one secs on the faces of those who
have received some mortal wound.
It was pathetic to see 80 fair and 30 young
q girl in such hopeless despair, and Bel
court was deeply touched by 1t.
"You are free Louis" she said gently,
but sadly. 1.-THE empress herself has
asked for your release Thank you so
much, my friend, for all you did for me.
came directly heard Of your impYison-
ment. My husband had only just been
brought home and buried at Morfeuille. f"
Very soon after Jeanne returned to her
husbands stately home that she might
visit daily the tomb Of him she had so
dearly loved, and who had married her on
his deathbed.
When Louis had tried to console her and
gently hinted that she was too young to
go through the rest of her life alone, she
had answered decidedly;
DO not ever speak to me of any one else.
i will live and die the widow of Roger and
will certainly never be any other ones 6
wife"
1t was thus that crest artistic was lost
to the French stage, but the memory OF
that debut will never be lost TO any of
those who witnessed it.-From the French.