The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-23

nearly so fine in literary value as "Ihe Romance of the Mummy and A Night With Cleopatra" Unfortunately Gautier suffered from the not infrequent delusion of artists that art has the right to free Itself from ali trammels Of decency, and that to depict morbid eXcesses is d high and worthy aim deserving writer's best efforts. Again and again he is guilty of the gross artistic blunder of using noble style for the portrayal of an isnoble tawdry subject
 THHE chateau of theaBarons de Sigog-
 nae and the last of the line. the
 X young Baron de Sigognac, were In an equal state of melancholy ruin. The ancestors of the young Baron had gam bled, wasted the estate till nothing was left except the crumbling chateau staring with broken windows on an abandoned wilderness, while the young Baron was re- duced to wearing his dead father clothes and rode out furtively on an old mare, the only horse in the great stables.
 He was quite penniless, and subsisted meanly on cabbage soup and dry bred-a repast that seemed 10 make the portraits of the dead and gone Sigosnacs in the great banquetng hall look down on hlm 
 with horror
 Though he was only 26 lie was quite weary of life, quite hopeless of better fortune and quite ready to snatch any wild chance for changing his condition. The chance came one stormy night In the shape of d great oXcart that drew company of players. Benighted In the woods and distressed by the tempest, they asked shelter at the chateau De Slsos- nae was amused and finally charmed by their conversation, for these were no com mon strollers, but a company of repute, suffering from a temporary disfavor of fortune.
 When they departed next morning he rode with them as their poet. 1t had cost him no small struggle to stoopi but he re- fiected that as soon as he reached Paris he could reassume his real character. He did not confess to himself that the most potent argument in favor of his course lay in the soft eyes and rosebud mouth of Isabelle the ingenue of the troupe, who had been guarded by the kind hearted actors since her childhood and was the pet of all.
 De Sfgognac thought tht he never had Seen a girl so beautiful; and, indeed, her sweet, almost childlike face, her gleaming chestnut hair, the modesty and purity that were expressed by every feature and word were sufficient to en- thrall even men accustomed to seeing beautiful women.
 So he suppressed his trouble at the ap q with a company of players, and set forth by the side of isabelle. The three golden storks on the coat of arms over the portico caught his glance, but he turned to Isabelle and forgot his pride of race. They passed the tomb where his parents and ancestors lay. It seemed to him as if the gray pile looked re- proach at him, but he listened to the voice of Isabelle and forgot that his father had been grand seigneur and comrade in arms with princes.
 The poor players fared i'll. Cold weather, snow, poor country and acci- dents combined to make their clrcum- stances so miserable that they were in danger of starvation at last. To crown their distress their chief actor, who played the important part of Captain Fracasse lost his way in a snowstorm and perished.
 In this predcament the Baron de sigognac swallowed his pride and offered to assist his comrades of the road by playing the part. They accepted thank fully, and from that moment the Baron de Sigognac disappeared and became Captain Fracasse. A halfmask so al- tered his appearance that there was no danger of any one recognizing him.
 This gave him confidence which stood him in good stead. Soon he became so good a player that the whole troupe de- clared his part far superior to that of the original actor.
 Fortune seemed to turn at the same time They found receptive audiences and when they reached Poitiers they were able to enter that important town with good equipage and to alight at the largest hotel
 All the young men of wealth and fash ion flocked to the house at once to ques- ton the host about the names and beauty of the actresses. Chief among these beaux was the very great Duke of Val Iombreuse-a famous devil of a young fel- low He was so lucky as to catch a glimpse of Isabelle and he fell in love with her immediately. When she turned away coldly ignoring his sweeping bow, her modesty only enhanced her attraction in his eyes.
 In common with other distinguished nobles of Poitiers he obtained admission 10 theAdress rehearsal that was held that evening AS soon as he beheld Isabelle in the greenroom, he marched boldly up to her toilet table where she was putting some finishing touches on her face. He leaned one elbow on her mirror frame and waited for her to glance at him.
 He was incompara bly dressed His cos- tums was of rich white satin sashed and trimmed with crimson and adorned with knots of ribbon held by diamond clasps. There were broad ruffles of exquisite lace at his throat and wrists. wide belt of silver supported his sword. Perfumed gloves were on the hands that held his white felt hat with its crimson feather.
 The beautiful garb was worthy of the man His black hair fell glossily around a naughty handsome head With d pair of splendid black eyes that flashed imperious challenge. His figure showed the strength and the agility that had made him one of the first swordsmen of France. He was accustomed to conquer and he stood be- fore Isabelle. confident that she would be