New-York tribune., 1898-01-16

tIoto, do Roureogne-the precursor of the Come
die Franchise. Cyrano fights series Of duel'
and chastises Monthcury, the celebrated actor
Of the day, for daring to raise his eyes In al
amorous glance at Roxana. This Is an ex
quisiteIy picturesque bit OF stage setting and
Paris OF Louis XIII is represented with arch
geological accuracy Roxana asks Cyrano for :
secret interview. The meeting takes place a.
the great roasting shop of the period amlc
spltted joints from Normandy and fat poultry
from Bresse Roxana tells Cyrano that she IL
In love with a man who she is certain returns
her affection. Cyrano's heart beats fast, but a
cruel surprise awaits him.
To Cyranos dismay Roxana confesses that the
of her choice is Christian. and goes on t.
say that unhappily she has found favor in the
eyes Of the Count de Guiche, the ibertin'
colonel Of the Cadets de Gascogne, and trembes
at the consequences should Guiche discover hei
love for Christian. Roxana nplores Cyrano tC
aid her. She begs him watch like brother over
Christian and to see that no harm may come tC
Eim Cyrano accepts the task. To better aVolt
the opportunities OF Guiche. clandestine mar
riage is performed by priest but just as th'
ceremony is concluded Guiche finding that h
has been imposed upon. orders the portion of th'
regiment to which Cyrano and Christian arr
attached to the defence Of Arras, which is be
sieged by the Spaniards Roxana, the maider
wife, is Of romantic. poetical temperament and
as Christian cannot write letters in verse, which
Roxana adores, Cyrano composes the letters
which Christian signs Cyrano for while Lives
In a fictitious parai az he exalts the charm:
OF Roxana and writes to her each day. Roxans
becomes infatuated with the verses contained il
these letters Cyrano not being able to declar,
his passion. contents himself with writing poetry
to which Christian affxes his name.
Finally Christian extracts from Cyrano a con
fesson Of his love Christian will not accept hi
friends sacrifice. and begs him to open his hear
to his cousin who will choose between them
Just as Cyrano consents to this, Christian Il
killed In assault by the Spaniards. Roxan;
for ten years mourns the loss Of Christian, anC
in the secusion Of convent she reads his let
ters over and over again. 1t Is after this laps
Of ten years that the last act opens. Cyrano
whose feelings have undergone change. hal
relgously kept the secret, for his friends deaf
has scaled his lips. ono day, however, he il
crushed by falling beam. and for the first tim
RoxaIa learns the truth. 1t was Christian
poems that she loved more than Christian him
self, and she becomes lost in admiration for tn
man who has sacrificed everything for her anC
is about TO reward him for his devotion But i
IS too late Cyrano's injuries are mortal. Hi
struggle against approaching death amids
Roxanas prayers that ne may be spared is in
tensey dramatic The death agony ensues in
moment Of delirium, a. he recalls his past life
and, sword in hand. he falls senseless agains
the trunk Of an oak tree.
SOMETHING ABOUT THE AUTHOR
This brief outline can. however give no ides
Of NJ. Rostands meodrama. The stage setting
is excellent. The acting is correct Coquen i,
superb. The double triumph OF author anc
comedian surpasses anything seen in many
year But, as already indicated by Nine Bern
hardt, this triumph depends so much upon tht
untranslatable perfection Of French versifcation
and upon the nmitable impersonation OF Coque
lin. that. If done into English and interpreted
by another actor than Coquelin, the effect woulC
be painfully different from what is now attained
by the admirable representation at the Porte
Saint Martin Theatre which. with "Cyrano de
Bergerac," has revived the glory Of It's former
days. when upon its boards were produced the
plays OF Alexandra Dumas and Victor Hugo
presented to the public by such actors as Fred
eric Lemaitre Nine. Dorval and Mile Georges
The author OF "Cyrano de Bergerac" was born
at Marsees on April l. 1868 He is the son OF
Eugene Rostand, a professor of political econ
omy. Edmond Rostand married a few years ago
Mile ROsemonde Gerard. who is herself a poet
having written a charming little volume OF poe
try which recently won prize from the French
Academy. Edmond Rostand was educated at the
Stanislas College in Paris and he afterward
studied law. He published rather eccentric