New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-12-01
"RESURRECTION."
,rsY BASED On ToLsToYs NOVEL PRE-
sFNTED IN PARIs-STORY OF
SLATONIAN MARGARET.
Paris. November Ia.

resurrection the powerful work in which
-,,stov set forth the martyrdom u social in
,rs,ice Of Catherine. the Russian peasant girl.
- nortrayed in vivid colors the temptation
.be fan, and the final redemption of Slavo-
,ian Margaret, has been dramatized by NJ.
,1anrv BataiIle who, while avoiding the long
-,hiiist dispositions of the novel, has con-
sensed the essential theatrical elements of the
,orx ir prologue and five acts. which ad-
r,irably mounted and acted al the Cdeon The
.re Resurrection was received with thun-
serous applause by the select audience OF the
crit,cs and first nighters last Saturday. and this
verdict has since been thoroughly Endorsed by
the genuine paying public.
If is indeed remarkable to see how thoroughly
7srisians have become aroused and electrified
,-irh Tostoy's idea and with what earnestness
they followed the tale from the love idyl of the
,rclogre to the publication resurrection"
~ the closing scene. The action moves swiftly
end logically, and leading critics detect no
cav in the dramatic Workmanship of the play.
,rhteh is regarded as by all odds the most sue
ressful drama produced at the Odeon for many q
wear The story OF Tolstoy's Resurrection" is
douhtless familiar to American readers. hut as
an English translation OF NJ. Bataille's adapta
-.an will probably be presented in the United
States in course of the next theatrical season. II
NAV be interesting to indicate the salient fea-
lures Of the drama that has made such de-
eided hit with the French public
The prologue opens at the country house of
Prince Nekludoff's aunts The handsome. dash
,ne Young prince appears in a smart cavalry
uniform. and is welcomed by his affectionate
bnstesses previous 10 his departure for the
turkish war It is Easter eve. the air resounds
with the soft Byzantine chorus music Of the or
ebodox rites Dirlitri receives the homage of
,be peasantr1 who have known him since his
birth He recognizes his former playmate
Catherine now grown up TO be a comely, blush
ing maiden Of eighteen. The Muscovite custom
Of the Easter kiss the hymn Christ Has
Risen" is chanted serves pretext by Dinl-
ri for captivating the young peasant girIs
heart She strives to escape. but is retained
by her princely lover. Here the prologue ends
The first act passes in the jury room Of the
Criminal Court at Moscow ten years later. Here
is presented curious picture Of Russian life.
The jurymen are strongly drawn and TO the
life The verbose foreman, the selfish. snobbish
1radesman. the bluff. arrogant functionary over
flowing with pointiess anecdotes. the pompous
physician. one and all putting away at cigar
cites as they discuss all sorts Of topics with
heartless indifference to the fate Of the accused
The accused prisoner-now on trial for murder
Is Maslowa and Maslowa is Catherine-the
Catherine of the idyl OF the prologue. VINO since
then has been driven into the streets by Dlmi-
iris aunts fearfully scandalized by the fact
that their protege was about to give birth TO a
child. Catherine becomes an outcast- She sinks
TO the deepest level Of infanny. and becomes the
inmate Of a public house, where she acquired
aotoriety under the name Of Maslowa. Mas
Iowa is on trial for poisoning MOSCOW SHOP
keeper, who passed few hours OF debauchery
IN this vile den Naslowa, however, is really
innocent of the crime with which she is charged
Among the Jurors IS Prince Dinitri Nekludof,
who has seen and heard nothing of Catherine
since the Easter eve of the prologue He Is
filed with rernorse at the sight. under such ter
ribly revolving circumstances Of the woman
he has ruined Convinced Of her innocence ne
endeavors to induce his fellow jurors to pro-
nounce an acquittai. He fails to impress MS
fippant callous colleagues, who, by sr1aH
majority render verdict OF guilty Dimltrls
heart sinks as he hears the court sentence Mas
iowa to exile for life in Siberia Dimltri be-
comes new man He determines to devote his
existence to repairing the wrong he has done
Awaiting himself OF his influence and wealth, he
obtains the necessary permission to visit Mas
Iowa in her prison. Here we have most
frghtful and realistic scene Of feminine degrada-
ton Maslowa is found drinking Vocky, sur
rounded by swarm of the vilest women OF the
capital Dimitri can scarcely recognize the
Iretched human wreck crazed with drink, stag
gering forth to greet him with a drunken,
meretricious leer, and demand for money
~ have come to save you: I am resolved to
atone for my fault. I want to marry YOU! ne
says Maslowa glareg at him with stupid
idiotic grin, and laughs In his face The sltua-
ton is most powerful. Gradually DifnitrIs IN
fiuence permeates through the veil OF depraVlty
with which Maslowa is surrounded. She recog-
nizes her seducer. She turns upon him with an
alcoholic outburst of fury, and falls senseIess IN
hystericaI paroXysms. Dinitri feels more deter
mined than ever to repair bis fault He man
ages TO secure her removal to the prison in
Urinary, where she is separated from the drunk
en- depravity Of The common cell Here young
doctor endeavors to abuse her, and she is falsely
accused Of assault and battery, under the most
revolving circumstances. Din1itri again appears
Il is now seen that q dim glifnmer or sanctlty
has entered the fallen wonaan's soul The work
Of publication and Of redemption has begun
The last act passes during a halt on the road
10 Siberia Prince Dimifri follows the troop OF
exiies, resolved never 10 abandon the woman
TO whose resurrection he has devoted his
life Maslowa has now become reDentant
through thought, suffering. and by aid OF Di1ni-
iris devotion She resembles the Catherine OF
former days Dinitri renews his offer OF rePara-
ton and marriage. -.-S>51"' replies Maslowa. Il
co not love your It is now she who refuses
Dlmifri. Pressed with DimirrTs questions. and
touched by his noble sacrifice. she finally opens
her heart and confesses; "Oh. do love you;
adore Won I worship youi But never can
consent TO become your wife, or even to resume
relation with you of free love. The child
born Of cur union is dead The link that NOR
ally bound US is broken shall ever remember