The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-14
THE SUN, SUNDAY. JuNEs14. 1908.

us an uncc nvc ntional little comedy by
Jules r. nard, who Is a poet OF distinction'
though little known outside Of Paris. His
play is called Monsieur Vernet,' and 1t
relates an +episode in the life OF good
bourgeots who has retired. His wife patron
izes the fine arts, he 10 fond OF fencing.
When young poet brings to him volume
Of verse dedicated Ia him he almost fa!nts
with joy. He Is no philistne-thank God.
He knows the poet is superior to the rest OF
mankind and should be honored accord.
; ingly. When he hears that he Is elected
president of the fencing CLUB his cup
| of joy overhows. The poet has never seen
tho sea. Why can't he accompany the
family to their cottage by the scar sister,
in-law with q face like q crab goes along.
and her daughter needs lessons In dlctlon'
f, The very chance HI nri. the poet, must
go along az teacher. comrade. All TINS
occurs in drawing room, the scarlet tone
Of which screams like cornet.
| Act H. Is very effective sea scape.
| Antoine has the reputation OF securing the
best scene painters in Paris, simply for the
! love OF their art Be this as II may, this set
| produces an agreeable impre ssion OF am
plitude of air and yea. The poet promptly
falls in love with the wife Of his benefactor.
He lis poor, egotistic spe cimen OF humanity
| The old man would marry him to the
, young niece, until finally It is brought nome
to him that his happiness is Threatened
Paternaly he bids the young man go away
and Is So much affected at his departure
that he kisses him and wishes him god
! speed Then, as the dusk encompasses the
! scene the husband and wife enter their
house hand In hand, she sobbing, he con-
| soling her. As the curtain falls he mutters:
"U n'etdit que temps'"
NJ Antoine played old man VeTne'
with an absolute velisimilitude. Academic
actors would boot at his elocutiony at bis
| lax, natural poses, at his ugly voice-yet
he cds Verne. And that Is the best test,
the only one. for critic, for public Mile
Mieris as very young girl was e eden hv
n. de George Mile Cheirel took the
part of the susceptible wife with tact.
did not care for the, poet. essayed by
Signoret.
The evening ended with one OF those
would tolerate. It was called -Attaque
Nocturne' and might have been written
by Paul de Kock after. he had read Iols.
and an T'5sy Tss sHIeso fhe nondeserp
episode begins in police. bureau situated
in a provincial town. 1t is midnight,
the commissary is about to retire after
Diminishing his subordinate a rap at 1ne
p rlshes ei in sh a IS frgStfuy excited Her
husband is away, but expected home in
an hour Horrible to relate, she has been
entertaining friend in her s apartment lnen,s
He is dead. He died suddenly. she groves, s
and you may ask anything She is the
wife OF RICH important man. The IN
spector is nonplussed. To get the corpse
out OF the house won ID be a terrible TASK.
At first he refuses. bit at last ne goes
with the snivelling woman. Thrill NUMBER
one.
The next scene reveals the front OF the
house. Just as they are about to enter
noisy reveller reels by and fails before tne
doorway. The woman attempts 10 pass mtn,
for the police Thrill number two Finally
they enter. The third scene shows bed
chamber in dire disorder, On the PED nes
partially undressed dead man. For some
the room is shocking. Suddenly the woman oman
,itters muffled cry. The body has changeo
it's position! Impossible! Yes. it istoo true
Both fee. but return. Slowly the sup
posed dead man comes to life. he thinks
his lower limbs are. psralyzed- here sounds rt
the Paul de kock motive. Selling the
positi on the inspector insists on the lohot
arising. and then deposits him on a couch
II ia near the time OF the expected aTr'sai
. The wife is in despair. II the 1901
would only leave the room. A voice, il
heard below, The police inspector PUSHES
TO the lover and punches him violently
under the eyes. 1t will serve as an excuse
when the husband enters; The strange
young man has been found hall dead oe'or ore
been summoned. Eoitd'
But the newcomer is only porter from
the railway station He bears telegraphic,
message Monsieur will not arrive until
midday, Hustled to The door or , me m
exercised upon him. you blackened my
eyes 80 that you could stay here yourself.
he yells, and the door is barred upon him
To the grateful woman the tactful inspector
then addresses an awful question The
curtain falls lust in time
Antoine was the Inspector. did not
recognize him at all Again the actor was
absorbed by the character. signoret as
the selfish lover was very funny Rose
Bruck as the erring wife really excited
ones sympat HES All, these naughty
French playwrights. JAMES HUNEKER