Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-08-12
New French Comedy.


lie Tour de Main" comedy in three
acts by NM. F. de Crossett and A. Faride'
was recently presented at the Gymnase'
Paris. Briefly, it is:
kiss and never tell" was the maxim on
which the marquis de Chanluse based MS
life Not only was he supremely happy
himself by practicing that which some
might call reprehensible mode of life, but
he rendered his wife supremely happy Also
for as the marchoness saw nothing In her
husbands conduct to which she could take
exception. no suspicion of jealousy ever as
sailed her.
Nothing could more Numerically be OPP
posed to the delightful harmony or TINS
ideal couple than the household or their
son Rene and their daughter-tn-law Jeanne
A student of history, deeply engaged IN the
production OF monumental work-for
monumental work is the ambition OF every
student-Renes first principle of life natur-
ally was to discover the truth and tell 1t.
He was so bound up in his books that he
could find no time for recreation of any
sort and could not understand how any one
could wish him to leave his beloved occu-
patton. Jeanne. on her part could not UNI
derstand why he seemed to find less and
less pleasure In her society, and was want
ing always to get away to his books.
o
Her lack of comprehension was intensified
when her cousin Pierre assured her, as he
did repeatedly, that she grew more beauti-
full every day. To all his compliments,
however. she turned a deaf ear, being far
too busy watching her husband and her
friend Nine. Hortense To tell the truth,
Hortense was flirting with Rene rather
than Rene with Hortense who a
widow, and resorted to all a Widows wiles
70 make herself attractive TO him. under
pretense of helping him with his work
Jeanne determined, at whatever cost, to
Gust Hortense from her husbands study. II
he wanted someone to make researches for
him she would do IL; II he wanted extracts
read to save his eyes she would read them;
II he wanted proofs corrected she would
correct them. She accordingly betook her
self TO the study, drew chair up 10 the
table, got out pamphlets, reference books
and proofs and set to work" as she called
It, She had not the slightest idea, however,
what work" really meant, and in the
eyes of Rene compared unfavorably with
Hortense, who did her spiriting far more
wisely, and being, as has been said, a
widow, knew that an apparently accidental
touch of a hand may be both eloquent and
enhancing. When Hortense next arrived
her manner so exasperRted Jeanne that the
poor little wife, in a frenzy, ordered her
out of the house. Rene was Mortified and
naturally demonstrated though his remon-
strances were as vain as his request that
his wife should apologize for the afront
she had put upon their guest.
%
At that moment the marquis came upon
the scene, and his son poured out his woes
60 him. This admirable father informed his
offspring that the first duty OF husband
who nirts with a woman other than his
wife Is TO take care that his wife does not
know, which reused Rene to indignation
''How could anyone suppose that he had
been flirting with HortenseH'
The marquis pooh-poohed this, but did
his best 70 reconcile his son and daughter
in-law, He would have succeeded had not
Rene objected that Hortense was not only
his best friend but was OF invaluable as
sistanee 70 him in his work. So exasper-
ated was his wife that she determined that
since proverbial philosophy played so inl-
portant a role in the family she, too would
see what II would do for her. She lost no
time in beginning a desperate Irritation
with Pierre, and. when every one else had
noticed It but her husband. determined to