The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-12

VI. W lnStoEk. CT tiffS NsNss A0S
written historical drama which ne has
named and copyrighted as The Fatal
Horoscope Monday Mr.. Winstock gave
reading az the Office of the Third
Avenue sheater TO Managers Russell and
Charles l. Young and Actor Frank
Readick. The consensus OF opinion. based
upon wide experience, was that MT VIM
stock had produced a splendid work. so
original In its, treatment and in the
handling OF its powerful incidents that IL
should. as literary work alone. entitie
him 10 distinction AS 70 the dramatic
possibilities, thefe was no room for doubt
that. properly cast and played by legiti-
mate company, The Fatal Horoscope"
would be good play Some Of Mr.. Win
stocks lines approach the dignity OF
blank verse.
The time OF the play is fixed during the
reign OF Ferdinand and Isabella, of Spain,
and the story is told Of one Abrabanel. the
royal minister OF finance. and his daughter
lnez. spain al the time was greatly under
the influence of Torqueulada, chief OF the
inqulsition. The Jews were greatly perse-
eufed. and many OF them suffered tor
ture and death rather than give UP the
faith of their forefathers
Torquemada was q heartless. cruel and
crarty character, and twenty years before
the opening OF the story ne had betrayed
lady or the court. the result OF which
was the birth Of a son. who. at the time
OF the opening Of the story. was the royal
poet of the court. but whom TorQuemada
did not know as such. He is in love with
lnezs and honorably so. Torquemada, on
the other hand. desires 10 inaugurate inn
proper relations between himself and
Inez. but is repulsed and he swears 10
bring about the downfall of her and her
father AbrabaneL She. however. loves the
poet, but viii consent to marry him only
upon condition that he embraces the jew
ish faith. The first act ends in very dra-
matte scene. wherein Torcuemada is APP
pealing TO the king for the Punishment OF
the Jews. and Abrabanei offers his mill
ions and then his life for the safety and
protection of his people
The plot leads into the study chamber
or Iorquemada. where he consults an as
trologer. who Is a Jew In secret. for the
purpose of ascertaining his future fate as
foretold In the stars. and therein is re-
vealed the secret of Torquemada' early
sin. The woman whom he had wronged
had great influence over him. and Torque-
mazda then possessed horoscope cast by
the most learned astrologer of the times.
Instead of being in reality horoscope, il
was the story written in royal cipher OF
Torquemada's guilt. The woman he had
wronged induces him TO cut the parchment
into three pieces. One he keeps himself,
another he gives to her. and the third TO
the child, and the astrologer whom he has
just consulted informs him that the hour
of his complete triumph will not come I'M
I'll the missing portions of the horoscope
shall all be brought together. In the
meantime Leonardo. the royal poet OF the
court and Inez, the daughter OF Abra-
banel. have become secretly married.
The second act ends in scene in the
synagogue at Madrid. There is the rabbi
Ii -
all gathered together to celebrate the day
of atonement- There are rude and bois-
ferrous knocks at the outer door of the
synagogue, and Torquemada breaks in at
the head of soldiers, commanding the
presence of Abrabanei at the royal court.
The Jewish hero refuses to obey the sum-
mons. declaring that he obeys higher
power than the king Of Spain, that as
faithful Jew he Yields obedience to the
king of Israel alone.
In the third act the king calls the court
together for the purpose OF considering
the project of Quitting Columbus on his
voyage of discovery. Torquemada. chief OF
the inauisition. opposes the project as an
idle dream. and Abrabanel favors IL. The
discussion between the two grows ex-
eeedingiy warm. and during a momentary
iull the queen. who loves the poet.
calls upon him for his opinion.
In answer 10 the queens request.
he bursts forth in a magnificent song
TO progress and against the bigotry
of the age. Torquemada resents this as
an imputation against himself and the
church, and charges that Inez and ABB
fabanel have bewitched the poet. and in
the struggle that ensues between the two
the fact comes out that Leonardo has
abandoned his former faith and is now
an adherent of Judaism. and the act ends
with the condemnation OF the three; of
the poet as hereto. Inez as witch. and
Abrabanel as having assisted them TO
that end: Abrabanel swearing that Jew
knows how 10 die.
The fourth act takes place In the torture
dungeons of the Inquisition. The trial of
the three accused persons takes place. re-
sulting in the Judgment by Torquemada.
which Is recorded that all three Of the
prisoners with their relatives be- burned
alive forthwith As the soldiers are about
20 seize Leonardo he breaks away from
them and. advancing upon Torquemada.
seizes his crucifix. breaking II into two
parts. and from a hollow. recess OF
| the same a portion of the horo-
scope falls out. The Lady Car
| fnilla, whom Torquemada has wrongeS.
exhibits one part of IL, and Leon
ardo. the poet. the other. Torquemada.
! believing in the prophesy OF the astroio-
/ ger. that his day OF triumph would come
scope are joined together. seizes upon the
/ opportunity to secure the various parts.
/ He orders the astrologer 10 put them to-
gether and 10 read the same.
IN the meantime the king enters upon
| the scene, and finding out the nature or
| the punishment TO be visited upon the
| prisoners. he refuses 20 permit the tudg-
nnent 20 he executed. Torguenada, intoxi-
| Gated with the fulfllment OF what he fond
! fy hoped was his dream of greatness goes
beyond himself and defes the king. who
orders his arrest. The astrologer an the
meantime having put the parts OF the hor-
oseope together. reveals 10 the king the
hideous story of Torquemada's guilt, with
the result that the king Furnishes Iorque-
mada and grants q full. free pardon 70
Abrahanet his daughter and the poet, ana
gives them all free and safe passport
from the land OF Spain.
This Is but the bare and naked story OF
the play. and does in 10 sense reveal the
charming. poetic and romantic style in
which the drama has been written Mr.
winsteck has applied for copyright. and
/ steps vii BE- Immediately taken 20 have