New-York tribune., 1899-02-13
" VIVE NAPOLEON C1NQ."
NAPOLEONIC LEGEND IN LIE
ROI DE ROME"
Paris. Janiiary -

mOsphere.' was the sgnncant remark made IN.
morning a fortnight ago by NJ. Constant Coous.
lin. when the writer was conversing with hin,
in regard to the forthcoming Plus que Reins.
which will soon be brought ont at the PORT.
Saint Martin Theatre. and in which the come.
dian viii impersonate the Emperor az tho
zenith Of his glory. The traditions of the Enc.
pire still have magic spell in all French
hearts" exclaimed Nine. Sarah Bernhard,
speaking Of the drama 'LAiglon." which will h.
produced next season the Theatre Sarah
Bernhardt. and which depicts in NJ. Edmond
Rostand's verse the hopes and the despair of the
Duke Of Rechstadt. The representations at m.
Nouv@au Theatre Of lie Roi de Rome" play
in five acts and prologue. by NM. Emile Pou.
yillon and Armand d'Ariols, based upon the in.
trigues which are supposed 10 have surrounded
Napoeons son and heir during his melancholy
career at Schonbrunn. have been taken advan-
tsge Of by the friends of Prince Victor for an
anti Republican demonstration.
lie Roi de Rome" is one long glorhcatlon n.
the Napoeonic legend. and merits description
because Of It's bearing on the present political
situation rather than for its dramatic merits
NM. POuvlllon and Armand dArtois have ss-
lected a number Of picturesque episodes from
the life OF the Duke OF Rechstadt, but have
made no attempt to blend them together 50 as n
give dramatic vitality a romance which would
have been 80 differently treated by playwrights
having the theatrical intuition Of Dumas or A
Sardou The prologue Is very short. lasting only
five minutes The Empress Marie Louise with
her infant son, the King OF Rome are seen
escaping from the Tuileres on the evening ~
March 20 1914 just in time to elude the allied
armies closing in upon Paris. During the pro-
logue one Of the actors says; The Emperor
made great mistake In not shooting all the
TaIeyrands, Dalbergs, Pradts and other rene
gades and 'vendus' who have betrayed the coun-
try. France is full Of traitors; they reVe IN the
Senate and Council Of State, and even in the
Ministries. It is a great pity the Emperor did
not have them all shot by a corporals guard"
During the imperialist demonstration last FRI
day. when the Nouveau Theatre was flied with
fifteen hundred Bonapartsts. this passage
hailed with shouts Of applause.
The first act passes twenty years later. The
opening scene is at a ball at the British En-
bassy at Vienna The Duke OF Reichstadt walks
about in the graceful uniform Of an Austrian
colonel, with white tunc and plumed hat. All
the leading personages meet at this bah-the
Emperor Of Austria. Prince Meternch, Nine
Olga de Melk court beauty with whom the
Duke is engaged in desperate Irritation, Mar
sba MarmOnt,
Marshal Maisons The Duke # Rechstadt en-
ters into conversation with Marmont. All Mar
shal. you canot imagine the sensation feel in
shaking the hand that often pressed the haad
Of nv father And you. Monseigneur' can
not realize my own emotion at finding here IN
exile the son Of my friend and the heir Of my
master But am wrong in speaking TO you OK
exile You have found at the Austrian Cour, a
nd
Duke of Reichstadt replies: "Napoleons son can
have but one country / love my grandfather.
but T never forget my fathers will. | mean 20
live and die French prince" The Marsha'
saws. Bravo. MOnseigneur! II only France
knew YOU, France has greatly changed our"s
twenty wears. our unfortunate country mas D9
come the victim OF intriguers and mlsereah's
II is the political adventurers and money!"
ers who now reign supreme Nha' "a" you ~
T., such a den Of robbers The Duke eXcialms'
.Do not despair Of France Marshal. Inc sac'eu
ea,re cannot nave become extingushea III an
rrercb hearts The Napoeonic legend Is no'
dad, These passages were hailed with ifen'
zied appause on Friday night
poNAPARTISTS N THE BONES
:, tho hoxes sat Prince Murat the Duo
d'Elchingen grandson Of Mar"hdl 49,
Duc Dc Clermont- -Tonnerre. Prince de roIs"aN'
prin,e de NissoIe Baron Reille. Baron de am"
court NJ NAPOLEON Ncy. Count Delaootu'' "a
ouis and Count de Girardin, Baron LegouN' "
de "a Have Jousselin. the Marquis anu w"
Roron de Lagrange. NJ. Labb". soh-ln-ldN -
cep,,al Gonse the Ncomte de Tlllet an" a" '"e
Rononartist leaders in Paris. Among the "o"'e"
nresent during this demonstration were U
Narouise de Girardin. Nine. Apnatu'' -"
Baroness de Bourgoing. Countess dc 'ief"'On''
Tonnerre and scores ~ their friends anu 'e'
lives who carried bouquets OF Imperial 'V
and emphasized the most forclble phrases ~ Wv
actors bv drawing from their skirts large "'.
color flags tipped with gilt imperial eaEleS N
waving them with enthusiasm. one Of the per-
sonages on the stage exclaims w nat
wants is the Empire" Shouts Of Yes les
and thunders OF applause. mingled WIN CIV ~
"yive rEmpereur"' resounded on all sides l"'
Duke Of Reichstadt says to Marshal Ma'"'''
THE Bonapartsts have no leader. suppose
sbculd supply them with one, Suppose shou'u
onnaal to the people and to the army VIVA.
,vould hanpen II | should cross the frontier anu
shout out my name to the soldiers and 70 INC
oFcerso DO YOU think that name would reind'"
without an echo?' At this point the auul'".
rose stood upon the seats. waved impeilal "se''
,brav, hundreds Of bouquets OF Violets on ''e
stage and shouted in reply: The Empire "ou
ba nroclaimed, Come along. and come as P'''
" as possible, You would be acclaimed py u"
nation, Vive rEmpereur' Nive Napoe"" Nf'
Viye Cassagnac" The shout of "NiNe Napo'V'
Cinq" was on this occasion heard Tor 'ne "''
time in France. and proves that the hoh"p"' w.
leaders have decided TO recognize th' w ~
suco, ssion OF the late Prince Imperial jus .
Napoleon Ill did that OF the Duke OF Re''
In the dialogue with the Emperor "i
the Duke asks: Would the son of Marie Lou''
ON the French throne offer less guarantees
r,uroue than the son of Philippe EgaliteY l"s
,nlli, sbouted in a vociferous chorus. NO No'
vlye rEmpereur. Vive Napoleon Gina"
In the second act distant cousin oi '"e
Duke of Reichstadt a certain Princess Oa""