The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-03-25
IN BERNHARDT.s THEATER.
The Sort of Play Put ON Its Boards
I'm Her Absence.

Nette Hooper's Letter.
The next evening all literary. theatrical
and artistic Bohemia fi0cked 10 the pretty
little white and gold playhouse, with its
upholstering of scarlet velvet. that owns as
manageress Madame Sarah Bernhardt.
managerial sceptre into the capable hands or
her administrator, NJ. Victor Ullman. NJ.
Ullman. very wisely, has temporarily
fourishes at this theater during the absence
Of his great star. Instead of Sardou and po-
etry. he gives the Partisan PUBLIC what is
modern word Of French slang. which i'm
plies that the work of literature to which
the cynical side of life depicted with such
lightness Of. touch that the cynicism Is
amusing instead of revolving. The piece we
is written by Francois de Curel. This gen.
tleman Is one of the younger school of dram
atists and he has tried to make his play
absolutely natural and perfectly true to life:
Paris knows these types he portrays-we
meet them each day in society. The plot
is simple. An ambitious Deputy loves and
Is beloved by a married woman. whose hus-
band is aged and apparently blind to the
situation. Removal, the Deputy. considers
I his his duty IL nrs to ma arry b and of hsye
receptions. Helene. his ladylove, concurs in
this decision, but reserves the right to choose
him a wife -, who no Will hdlo DE e s hpb ngare n,esa
she herself will continue to reign supreme
over his heart. She selects an insignificant
girl, her husbands dependent niece, and
| CURLY intimates TO her that she Is to accept
this alliance or return TO her convent for
ever, as the girl is penniless and will never
have s another n t Offer MSo In in. c sso;ea ens OF T nes
aunts love letters (rather an indicate pro-
ceeding for a vlrtuous h~eroine). at first re-
fuses. but, argued with by her uncle. who
knows his niece loves Renewal and also
wishes TO revenge himself on his faithless
wife, finally accepts the Deputy's hand with
nificant girl in gray alpaca has blosscmed
into a very gorgeous matron in violet velvet
embroidered with emerald-green beads. She
Is a good housekeeper, which ~re1oices her
spouse: she is wildly intelligent and works
diligently and successfully for his political
| advancement; but she treats him as a COM
rade simply, and declines to allow him TO
make love to her, which. with the natural
perversity of man, makes him adore her,
especially as the matchmaker aunt is de,
tanned in the country by a feigned illness OF
her willy old husband, who wishes TO give
the young couple a chance to shake down
into complete happiness. After an ex-
quisitely written scene of social fencing
between the wife of the Prime Minister
and FRANCHISE, the latter, by her tact and
skill. obtains the promise of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs for her husband: When
she tells him the news. his gratitude ripens
into vehement love-making. and, Of course,
the aunt appears to interrupt the effusive
her hair, extorting from her husband a
promise that he will at once break with
Helene, an0 leaves MIN greatly perpttAeu.
Helene is effrsive and he Is embarrassed,
and the tension is.further increased by the
re-entrance Of Franchise. There is a scene
Of much intensity of passion, but perfect
courtesy of words. between the feminine
rivals. The aunt blames the niece for vari-
Gus sins of omission and commission. and
the niece retorts that, though charmed 70
receive her aunt as q visitor. she refuses Il
permit the slightest interference with her
affairs in her own house. Renewal. who,
in his weak masculine horror Of scenes, has
promised PIT different times to consecratr
that evening wholly first to his wife and
secondly TO Helene, looks unhappy in the
background. The wife discovering this de-
tail of the double promise. considers herself
affronted by her husbands duplicity. land
leaving the house, takes refuge with her
uncle and guardian Renewal, horribly an.
noyed by the flight Of his wife, whom he
really loves. and the presence of Helene, OF
whom he Is deadly tired. snubs the latter
and rushes after the former, who. after
hearing from her uncle that he Is going or
a geological expedition in Sweden and /.
going to take Helene with him, that heart
broken lady. having recognized her absolute
defeat, consents to forgive her husbs I'd
and the curtain falls for the last tim. or
their definite reconciliation.