The times., 1899-03-14

only to return in disgust at discovering
everything gone, and at last 10 visit the
lucky brokers whose foresight had put
them in the way OF building up miniature
fortunes. Carriages drew into line beside
the curb and one by one discharged their
gaily dressed occupants loaded cars paus-
ed to disembark those so unlucky as TO
be packed in them. and chattering. laugh
ing fastening pedestrians forced their
way through the doors and into the play
house. The din OF voices. the Gathering
of horses hoofs. the briliance of the jos
thing throng and the glmmering of the
arc lamps marked the event as an unusual
one.
Inside the theatre the scene presented
was even more remarkable. Gentlemen in
low-cut waistcoats and ladies in low meek
dresses filed the boxes. ushers ran up and
down the aisles showing late corners to
their chairs. and those obliged TO stand
ranged themselves against the walls in an
attempt at forsstalling weariness. Opera
glasses were leveled here and there in the
orchestra, programmes rustled and fiut-
tered in the circle. and published editions
of the piece were brought out by the
habtues OF the gallery. Fashion and
beauty, silks and jewels. costly cloaks, and
tasty headwear. students and clubmen,
critics and buffoons, the knowing and the
was the condition produced directly or in
directly. consciously or unconsciously by
the notable supremacy of brain. The au
dience had gathered 10 see what the minds
OF two geniuses could have done with the
life of a third-to learn about the real Cy-
rano. about Edmond ROstand's CyranO. and
about the Cyrano of Richard Mansfield.
After the play was over and the house
was being emptled there was but one
Of vEr bod
contributed TO the affair was great but the
greatest of all was NJ Rostand. Stupend-
Gus and wonderful as is the presentation,
il still falls short not only OF the book
but of the ideals one forms when reading
that volume. The drama loses in its render
ing because the cleaner can imagine more
effect than the actor can provide. The tTou
BILE is not so much-if at all-the fault OF
Mr.. Mansfield as it is that OF Dame Rumor
and of the spectator himself careful
perusal OF the piece with an attendant com
prehension of its possibilities and require
ments added 10 credence of reports that
have reached here concerning the perform
ance have combined to create expectations
beyond qualification. The reviewer makes
| tangible his ideas of what the Offering
should be but forgets that those ideas are
beyond the range of even superaverage
! skill Hence he is a triie disappointed
nights gathering who enjoyed the work
best were those who had not seen printed
| copy of its text.
! OF the real Cyrano de Bergerac ii is nee
essary to say bui lit e in this article He
was born in 1920 at Perigord, and died
in 1865, at Paris. Though brought up un-
der the excellent guidance OF poor curate
he seems TO have been as ugly in dispo-
sitioA as he was in countenance. having
1. II. II.
and quarrelsome nature. After enlistine
in NJ Carbon-C Castel Jaloux's company OF
Gascons and discovering his own proves
he became a desperate and 4 duelist of the
worst description. Credited with many
feats of valor and OF tyranny he was at
last struck on the head with a billet of
wood and after fourteen months of illness
expired-to the intense relief of all who
knew him.
NJ. Rostand has taken the character Of
this brawler with his mastery hands and
fashioned it, as a sculptor forms his mar
BILE, into a shape like and yet unlike that
of the original. The CyranO who tas
emerged from his workshop is a man who
may be easily misunderstood and misin-
terDreted who has his faults and his alb
surdities and yet who is noble and heroic
and lovable. Perhaps no more sympathetic
product has ever been created to be pla. ed
upon the stage. ImdslDe-nere Is tyrdnO
de Bergerac. a sad unfortunate born with
nose so deformed that it foreshadows
constant misery to its owner He who is
sensitive to degree. must bsar the jesrs
and laughter of those with whom he comes
in contact; he who cherishes the highest
Of ideals and the purest of motives must
submit to having them cloaked behind a
ridiculous exterior: he whose whole soul
is filled with sentiment and romance. must
cast aside all hope of ever feeling a wo-
mans arms about his neck or of catching
the glance OF the most casual without
reading amusement and aversion therein.
One cannot marvel that the realization OF
his misfortune changes every fibre of the
| fellows being and that these changes are
| not always for the better.
Condemned in this manner Cyrano de-
termines to force respect from the boobies
| around him. Nature has hidden his face
| behind an enormous proboscis. and in re-
turn he Will tear away the covering usually