New-York tribune., 1907-10-16
THE DRAMA.
pTEE THIEF AT THE LYcEUM.
A Remarkable Play.

SUI FlslDle Is one or rare merit ana
rsrkable significance. and the performance of
. ,hich is exceptionally good ought TO receive a
s,sl measure Of public attention. The title OF
- comedy is not appropriate, for the reason that
aces rot indicate its subject That subject
4 :. of supreme Importance TO societyc-is the love
.ss+sut between married persons, the persons
1st Is 10 say, by whom society mainly is con-
4 s.ed ana sustained That love the love ex
s,+sat in the marital relation. common topic of
.ssdcal and sometimes ribald Ievity. happens 10
4 |, fhe basis upon which the entire social fabric
sts. vet nothing IS. customariy so foolsshly so
s5Jorably treated by the mass Of persons who
8 sauId reverence and guard it. The man or
4,snsn who possesses afTection.-however little so
Aast il be .real,-possesses the greatest blessing
JAt life receive; Yet. in general nothing is so
q ris valued. Every day, almost every hour men
re women ALLEVIATE it by abuse or barter It from
{rsives Of vanity cynical writer long ago re-
rrked that in every OF love there is one per-
aru who loves and another who submits 10 ba
lived That, unhappily. IS. almost always true
rtsn Il happens that the moment a woman be-
snes sure that man loves her (and Nature has
srsTided her with an unerring instinct by which
lha inevitably knows, she begins TO become in
Ese:ent 10 him Often it happens that the mo-
gent a nan knows that he is loved by a woman
ihnd, commonly, he is slow in absorbing that
ltnowiedge), he feels that the situation is exo,I
what it ought 10 be and that her homage IS We'll
esrowed, and he sazes around for other votartes
Ihst is not che invsriable occurrence but that Is
The custom.-the reason being that in both sexee
Tanity is generally the strongest OF all the PAS
Eons of human nature.
II the comedy OF The THIEF the vr,fa.s lo,.o e.
he husband IS idolatrous and in her forIorr ,;,;
able. wreteheo dread that she will lose his love -
which indeed is received by him more as tribute
! than as benefaction-she becomes actually 4 mon
onsniscr ana she steals money with which 10 pay
for pretty raiiheat intended to make herself more
L. he
devotion is pushed 10 its fullest extent but those
observers sho think that such love is :npossibla
knog but little about mankind. It is not only
possible. II Is of frequent occurrence and the so
cisl phlosophe- is UnWise who does not include II
II ais philosophy. Much is suggested by the play
q Inc Ihief TO persons. that is who possess
receptive minds The elaboration OF the plot-the
process Of unrayelment by which the culpr1t Is dis
eoTeTed'-is not so important as is its meaning
ne acute analyst can perceive, in d moment the
secret Of the fable. The Development Of that plot
iaqeed is remarkably adroit creating anxious sus
iS7sse and maintaining Unbroken interest; but the
jsuesiance of the play IS its disclosure of the
hunlan heaT1.-the access Of suffering the conflict
ie passions. the revelation Of elemental nature
j'he Play does not preach: II only reflects as in
lHror the truth Of what We are and what we
ZEE there ere, in the mechanism technical de-
'ecu. lie heroine is represented as radically
ETucus. ard IL IS not probable that good woman
Gant aTiabilily the vain liking for admiration
s1po;lze, es Mrs NOys.n is made 70 do with the
infatuated youth who besets her with his atten-
uons. II IS certain that the husband would be
more prompt than EIr. Voysin Is made 10 be in
srI1F1nE az knowledge Of the truth that his wife
aaa tolerated those attentions. The eyes Of love
are staEp, and even the male animal has ntuitions
BESIDES, particular care has been taken by the
Gznaatist 70 intimate that Mr Voys!n has had
Oasiae'aoie and Instructive experience Of woman
saa her ways. Those postulates OF circumstance
aoEeFer, are essential TO the fabric Of the story
&c certainly IN the stormy, affecting scene of the
Sass confession 10 her husband when, little by
lfs lie prospect OF her enforced and miserable
slasne OF deceit has daWned upon him the sudden
.F-'ion OF Jealous rage, as & controlling motive,
aeXeeedingly felicitous and effective
l"o or three illusions in the text I'm particular
lsufg Lagardes's reference 10 the chorus gIrD
night Vel have been expunged. They pass com
ETstively uInoticed yet the play would be better
without them The ultimate impairment OF Il re.
iaai-s unchanged-an impairment as to the sane.
Enty OF affection Love, like opportunity is ar
angel that comes but once. and when It comes /.
onght TO be priced and cherished above everythinf
Else on earth Not ali the riches OF the world car
buy it @ keep it. and when once It has gone Il
never Ill return. All the domestic tragedies witt
which society abOUnds ensue from wornan's vanit,
sad mans cof1piacent conceit,-the love Of admira
uan On the one hand and the pride Of conquest o.
1LlfF fuBliC ne Il pOpGIOnS with individual is
authors, actors, preachers. statesmen and tn
hEe.-who have sacrificed all that IS really pre-
eious IN human life for the mere nnocIlery Of az
fiction, and often for the applause Of proletarians
newspaper pUffery, and the vapUr called fame
% what fool ! have been said Charles Church
IL, when on his deathbed Churchill. who wa
syron.s meteor of a season"). There are thous
amos of PERSONS IN position 20 say the same de
spairing words at the same awful crisis whel
memory looks ha edward as the curtain is about Z
.su
Tits is the story: Raymonde Lagardes ant
klcnaEd Noysiu. stanch good fellows. were init
maze friends RayUonde was the elder. and h
had been twice married.-hfs first wife havini
eieo, leaving 70 him a son. Fernando. Raymond
sas living with his second wife. Isabelle. and hi
tf Fernando, at rural villa in France. an,
aeTe. IN wealth and luxury, he was entertaining
e guests. his cherished friend Richard Voysin
sno Richards newly married wife. Marie Louise
-hat couple was, comparatively, poor. Fernand
'SgaTdes was a youth Of about nineteen years
sao' unhappily. he had fallen in love with Mrs
'ogsin and hae declared his passion TO he- AM
oeen reoukec- A robbery Of considerable money
' property Of Isabelle, had occurred in the house
&c Kay monde had employed detective officer N
@@ihDaulI- who was present as n guest bearini
- assumed name, ftnd the thief After time u
"eNoaut stated that he had discovered the cuIpri
sc vas ready 70 make his report. Raymonde thel
-p4alhed the situation to his friends MI ant
- sO5Ein- the report Of the detective specific
'ernande as the thief, and presented evidence an
ssfehiy conclusive Of the truth OF the accusation
"a .ne robbery had, in fact. been committed by Mrs
'sSih' VINO was harassed with private debts con
selea for the purchase Of costly apparel, an
sac' n moment Of peril and temptation ha
-1s degraded herself Mrs. Voysin was dispatche
slnar1ion Fernando. and when the youth cam
q SAce admitted the commission Of the crime
-4@ae 10 denial OF any charge, and produced
sS'H0n u the stolen money-Mrs Voysin, o
9n'se having appealed TO him srd given tn
x.'iey into his keeping. Later in the night afte
~ ana Mrs Noysin had retired 10 their chamber
'oiioqly ensured between them, in which Richard
gfEplexed ia thinking Of the prcrnptitude @
= 'fia4oes admission and Of the improbabilty Q
- guilt. a. last. accidentally. stumbled on n