The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-11-13


be has ha;al uai; out with the widow
on his arm Ii i, Il strange and star
Ting situation. ard it will be interest
Ing to observe ilst what our audiences
will say about it.
The play has been adapted s
Charles Frederic Nirdlinger from in1
Spanish of Jose Echegaray. There are
three acts. all laid in Madrid. TIE
hrst and third acts are in the home of
Don Julian; the second is in the rooms
Of Don Ernesto, who comes between
Julian and his wife. The unusual crops
out in this play in the opening scene.
There is no intrigue between Ernesto
and the woman, fedora. At no time
do they betray the husband, and thus
we find the whole structure Of the
drama is raised on suspicion. This is a
point which marks the play as radical
~ different from others of seemingly
volveu here. yet the outcome is none
the less terrible. Echegaray shows
ronclusively that all that is needed to
wreck happiness is suspicion. and he
teaches wives what tragedies may lie
In forcetfulness of the trust husbands
extend
Ernesto is Il guest in Julians house.
Julian is held in his Office, and natu-
rally Ernesto entertains the wife. The
gossips begin to talk. and finally the
flying rumors reach the husbands
ears. He cannot believe. but gradually
fear and terror grip him. The woman
really has admiration for Ernesto. and
he admires her. But she loves her hus-
band. She is sure of that. She is SO
sure of it that she thinks he never can
doubt her. Ernesto and the woman
have been silly enough to walk abroad
together. and the gossips seize upon
this to drive the husband almost to dis.
traction. In restaurant a scoundrel
Alvarez, scornfully shouts the wife's
name, and Ernesto slaps him in the
face. A duel is arranged. The hus-
band hears about it and goes himself
to defend his wife's name. Alvarez
wounds him. and he is assisted into
Ernesto's rooms. There the wife has
come to see Ernesto and to attempt tc
straighten out the tangle. The hus-
band sees her, aud all his fears are
realized. He believes she Is there be-
cause all that has been said of her is
true.
This carries us to the end of the sec
ond act. In the last act Ernesto forces
his way into JuIian's house. He is de-
termined truth shall prevail: that it
shall be known he has not been an
enemy in the house of the man be has
called friend Julian staggers out of
his room and sees his wife and Ernes-
to together He breaks into anguished
denunciation. staggers out and dies.
Then his brother orders Ernesto from
the house and steels his heart against
the woman.
Ernesto makes an eloquent plea. de.
Tending the woman and himself When
he fails. when the brother brands them
as wretched betrayers. Julian sudden
~ proclaims that he aud Teodora
will go together, Why not: The
world thinks them guilty. and what
alternative is left to them? They have
been driven by lies To each other. To
Eather they can face caiumny more
hravely than if they stood apart This
Is how the dramatist reasons 1t cut
aid with the husband lying dead in
the adjoining room the widow of a
minute taxes the arm OF Ernesto, goes
ont with him, and the play is over.
1t Is situation that is powerfully
dramatic. and it takes grip. even
though the impression may be held
that the couple are rushing headlous
fnto folly. ROBERT BUTLER.