New-York tribune., 1910-06-26

I
.aey conversed apart for some minutes.
that also was another begin
iiihs OF the later entente. Or you might
oa'e H. II You liked, from Mr.. Glad
stones appearance at the theatre when
Sarah was playing Phedre: the old man
10 stage box, leaning forward; a book
OF the play before him: his hand to his
ear ms Glazing eyes fixed mostly on the
'raeeolenne, for he needed the book only
on account Of his deafness: and when IL
was over going behind the scenes to
oler MS homage to the artist.
But 1 like to think Of Sarah and Irving
as having planted the first seed. 1t was
not known. The newspapers published
no account If Paul planted. there was
then no Apollos to water But II came
up as flower if not as a tree: 1t had
fragrance if not strength: and Ii had
beauty.
one hears of girls who wish to go on
the stage because they think it an easy
life. They might take a. lesson or sew
eral lessons, out Of Sarah's life: a life
OF great successes Won by tremendous
Efforts. The public thinks her genius.
and these girls think that because of her
genius she may dispense with study and
the drudgery of the profession. Sarah
herself never thought that. 1 will offer
these ambitious young ladies one ex-
ample of her method.
When La Tosca" was produced In
Paris at the Porte ST. Martin saw it the
first night During the second entr'-
! 7
pay the compliment one is expected to
pay In Paris if one knows the actress.
She was playing, we all thought, her
best The success was brilliant. the ap-
plause unstinted. Needless to say, that
no French author. and certainly not
Sardou, would allow his piece to be pro-
duced until he was satisfied with the re-
hearsals- Still less. perhaps, would any
actress Of Sarah's position come before
the footlights until her own conception
and composition Of a new part were to
her mind, and until the ensemble was
complete In fact these things ere
taken for granted. The French critic
is inexorable; the French audience not
less so. and a play not perfectly re-
hearsed would get scant mercy from
either critic or audience.
The next morning / left for Italy, was
gone six weeks, and on returning to
Paris went again to see La Tosca,' and
again between the acts went around to
see Sarah. I said:
"You are in great form tonight. It is
much better than 1t was on the first
night
There came into the face, and es-
pecially into the eyes, Of the actress one
Of those challenging looks one saw there
when she was in a warlike mood. The
blue of the eyes, sometimes soft, hard
ened into the famous bIeu d'Gcier, with
points OF flashing light as hard as the
steel-blue itself I saw the storm ris-
ing, but 1 had no idea why. She stood
silent for a second or two as if to allow
her mood to be seen: then in her most
metallic tone:
"Ah. you think play my part better
than when you first saw tt?"
You certainly do
And you think it is because I am in
good form to-night?"
well, you certainly are in good form"
"Merci, mon ami. But you are right
about one thing 1t is better than it
was the first night, and 1 will tell you
why 1t is better. It is because I have
worked on it six hours a day for six
weeks. That is why"
Ny mistake had been in suggesting
that the improvement was because OF
her being in good form that particular
evening. She wanted credit for her SIX
weeks hard labor. She was then at
the summit Of her fame. She had done
her best with her part for the first night.
She had satisfied her public, and the
press. and Sardou. But because she had
not satisfied herself-the artist that was
in her-she toiled on. And that Is the
history of Sarah Bernhardt's art life.