The evening world., 1921-04-05

VIC OVAbVA"N1 sh"hNNNlVl a
In two acts and a prologue, the
play explores the psychology and de-
scribes the ultimate fate of Don Juan.
traditional betrayer OF women, who
commits the objectionable sin--t1e
s,n against the heart. For originality
at conception, for poetic beauty, for
sheer, satiric brilliancy in the treat
ment Of the Eternal Masculine, The
Last Night OF Don Juan" is the most
IN important piece OF dramatic writing
" IN recent years, Completed in 1911,
rs production on the stage was twice
postponed-once by the Great War,
again by the death OF Rostand him
self, in 1918. 1t has just been pub
lished, however, in the pages OF
~ ILLUSTRATION, from which the picture
accompanying this article is taken
'".S In the prologue, Don Juan Is res
cued from his conventional fate. De
ascending the stairway into he'll, es-
corted by the statue OF the Command
er, his gallant bearing touches the
heart OF that old warrior who Offers
MIN respite provided the Devil will
agree. Although Don Juan's cloak
an mas been caught by the claw Of the
- Aatter, he is persuaded 10 grant his
disciple ten years more on earth. since
4 Don Juan points out that there still
p remain many sins for him to commit.
The ten years are up on the night
when the first act opens in the supper
=. room Of the Venetian palace, overlook
# ing the Adriatic, where Don Juan is
living. He tells his valet, Sganarelle,
-, that he is devoted to the AdriHtic be-
I,",cause it is marred-ruferring, OF
s. course, to the old ceremony by which
this sea was welded yearly to the
'HDoge OF Venice, who cast into II u
IN golden ring. Sganarens reminds him
= that the hour Approaches" when the
Evil One will claim his soul. but Don
Juan, still gayly insOlent, plans to Gel
- ebrate his last night with a supper, a
-uroan and, after the ball, the usual
~ fruits of Don Juan's usual victory.
DNbWFrom the street below sounds the
70 cry of puppet Snowman, and SGan-
q arelle calls him in to amuse Don Juan
- at supper, The Snowman proves to be
the Devil himself in disguise.
Don Juan, undauntcd, asks the Devil
% sup with him, prior to their de-
nartlIre for the Internal regions. Don
Juan boasts of his cleverncss, his dar-
Ing, his Joy in life.
rand l carry you away, then, de-
-, llghted with having lived?" asks the
~ Devil.
y, 81 am the only hero that humanity,
-. at bottom, admires!" proclaims Don
a. Juan why, read their books! See
., tanAir plays! Everything proves IL!
n,MOte with what a glittering eye viz
@srtle abhors me. What power do 80
ry,nnany dull and sluggish men antici-
~ pate save that of believing themselves
-Tfor an hour what l am always! OBJ
n e serve with what ardor OF literary ex-
-Hplanation and OF envy the profess
tIsorial nose is thrust into my life!
vltWho does not secretly admire me FOR
taking the kiss that he felt himself
too indolent or too ugly TO take? l
am every mans homeslck longlng'
There Is no work, there Is no virtue
no science and no faith which is other
than an expression OF regret for not
being l. II have possessed
" but, dear immoralist, what have
YOU possessed?" mildly inquiries the
''Devil. ~
1.-THE list OF the thousand and three Ia
9dies whom he has loved and van
.-rhat is possessing" again in
& duires the Devil. 1T is nothing more
terrible?"
'.But l knew them," argues Don
Juan, "the name, the date, the reason
Tho he-all their secrets"
~, The Devil bids him tear up the INST,
r,,sthe whole alphabet, from A to r.
-, The bits of white paper dance madly
TO the music of the Devils violin;
thew float over the lagoon; they turn
into gondolas; the gondolas approach
.sthe terrace; from each lands LADY,
On resume of all love in her frau
eoliipment-the mask, the cloak, the
.,,fan and the rose"-until fitting about
"A Non Juan are the ghosts of his thou
sand and three loves.
%, SFach one," the Devil tells him, re
manning shrouded in her cloak be-
mind her fan, will draw for you in
three words the portrait of her soul
and II you tell her name the mask
y wall f-I!'
Confidently Don Juan essays the
task. One after the other the ghosts
whisper a message in his ear MOI
s.,tn a single instance does he guess cor
fyepeotly. The eyes, especially, bother
anRim, and the laughter
~. because this evening" explains the
Devil, ''the eyes have their true ex-
pol. f, tur-z======-==-