Chapter VIII.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 579, 5 February 1876, Page 1 (Supplement)

Chapter VIII.

To do exact justice it should bo said that at this tun- M de Rias was even more miserable thtn his wife. While she was triumphing in her youth, beauty and success, he was meditating sndly on the ruins of hi 9 last bright dreams, and saw , with great bitterness of soul his household conducted in the most miserable and vulgar form. One evening m January, after having ■walked for some time on the boulp> arc f with no companion save his or d gloomy thoughts, he mechanically entered a neighbDnring theatre, which t h e public just at this time was fillin? nightly. The attraction was a yo»'. n g actress named Jeanne Sylva, who. ua< j recently arrived from Russia a reputation to which her beaut y an( j talent tully en' itled her. M'lle Jeanne Sylva, whcu she left Paris sorao years before for St. Petersburg, was a soubretto of the third class. She returned, * star of the first magnitude, and the Parisian public, by its nightly plaudits, stamped its approval on this rapid promotion. Lionel, who had not yet seen M'lle Slyva, but who had heard much about her, was very much astonished to recognize in her an obscure billet girl whom he had once met on sorad stage, and had not particularly observed at the tima. He admired, as everybody else did, the brilliancy of her metamorphosis, and resolved to go *nd pay ber hn compliments during the entr'acte. It has been said that the fascinations of an actress disappear in the coulisses, where we see clearly the artifices by which they are produced. This is an error. If the power of an actress ever wanes it is certainly not in the c< ulisses. It is fiere. on the contrary, that she exorcises al her powers and fascinations The white, the black, the red. the blue with which they create their beauty in t he theatrical perspective lend^ to them behind the scenes a Strange, almost supernatural brilliancy, transforming them into a kind of phantom which is very seductive, Thin alchemy seems to throw around them an atm sphere of music which is intoxicating. We by no means advise mothers to send their ions to the coulisses with the hope of discouraging theatrical aspirations. The result will be the exact opposite of what IB intended. Lionel found Mademoiselle Slyva surrounded by that peculiar light which the brilliant gas-lights throw behind the scenes She was standing and receiving with gracious smiles, like a queen, the co nphments of a circle of enthusiastic admirers Monsieur de Rias waited for the crowd to pass away tha 1 he mighi approach in his turn, when he saw the eyes of the young actress suddenly bent upon him .and her face suddenly assume an expression of unusual gravity. She paused a moment, immovable ; then pushing through the group which encircled Her, she came and tapped him on the arm with her glove. ' You here ?' she said. ' You honor me by your recognition,' said Lionel, suppressing all signs of his surprise. 1 Naturally,' she said, laughing, as thoug'i in answer to some thought of her own. Then, becoming serious again, and looking fixedly at him with her ldrge penciled eyes she repeated with a long sigh. 'You are here! Wei 1 , let us admit that there are some moments of pleasure in life after all ' After another pause she added, ' You do not understand ?' 1 Mon Dieu ! Mademoiselle, I beg pardon. Don't compromise yourself by any mistake.' 'Oh. no, M. de Rias : don't be uneasy on that score ' Then, with an infinitely eentle inflection of the voice, ' but tell me, honestlr, what do you think of me ?' ' You are very beautiful.' 'lea, yes,' she exclaimed with an impatient gesture • but am I talented P' ' Your talents bare moved all Paris. You are a great artiste.' * Well.' she replied gtily, ' I Bty again there are some moments of pleasure in life, after all ! Au revoir, Monsieur.' But Mademoiselle,' cried Lionel, ' you are not going to leave me like this There is lome mystery, an enigma between us I don't understand it. Will you not give me the solution P' 'It it worth whi'e while?' said M'lle Sylva, perching her pretty head on one lide. L 'It would please me very much.' ' I don't know that. It seems you are married. Monsieur de Rias inclined his head slightly and gravely. 'Besides your bein; married, T am an old woman' — she was twenty-eight— 'and we can treat this* story of youth as simplL^hildi'hness, as in reality it was. He ' seated. Monsieur ' She seated him near her in a retired corner of a garden bench. • Monsieur de Rias,' she cemmenced, 'do you remember abo'it fifteen yeiirs ago, meeting on this very singe, a simple young girl, who was then known only as Jeanne ?' 1 1 remember perfectly well ' ' Had you said imperfectly you wonld have been nearer the trutb. I bad neither a good form nor tnlent ; but I had n heart very tender, very warm and very ambuious. You often came here to flirt with my superiors, and you seemed to me like a man— how shall I express it — ? not very beautiful, but very good. I had Ijood control of myself, thank God. I did not allow myself to fall in We with you. bat 1 flowed myself to admire you. I wai nothing, but it seemed to me thut if you spoke one word of kindness and sympathy to me it would give me the courage of a linn, and I should become something after all. I tried one ev;ning to attract your attention, and as you pissed near me to pay your respects to the grand actress, how cord'ally I hated her ! Poor thing. I have forgiven her now. 1 let fall at your feet a little flower trom my bouquet asprigof white lilac. How well I remember it. You calmly stepped upon my lilac. Then, seeing my poor, pitiful little face, and thinking you had woundod me, you '•aid, 'Forgive me, little one,' and passed on to your lover As for me, 1 hid myself in this same corner where we no* are, and wept like the foolish child that I was.' As Mademoiselle Sylva reached this uoint. the call-boy came ar<d respectfully

announcd to her that tho timo for her entrance on the scene was at hand. ' Ali.raon Dieu !'sheev:clinme<l, ' I liarl forgotten.' Slip gathered up her skills with one hand, swung around her truin with a mOTemeut ol her heel, composed her fact 1 , anil drawing in a long breath like a professional runner, pieoipitated herself on the stage. It was the end of the act. Her scene was »cry short but very dramatic. Lionel heard vaguely her musical voice resounding in the midst of such perfect silence that one might hare thought the large hall eiUpty; then a heart-rending try, which was answered by loud ftfcd prolonged applause from the audience After having appeared two or three times before this enthusiastic public, the young artist, panting and staggering, her mouth open and her eyes on (ire, seized tho two hands which Lionel extended to her. 'Itis to you that I owe all this,' she said :' thon dropping on tho seat beside him, she coutinued : 'I hardly knew where we were, and besides I must abbreviate the story, for 1 have to change my dress dunng the ' entr'acte.' In two words, then, in my spite and my grief I went to Russia vowing that my poor body fhould rest beneath eternal «now or that I would return here a great actress And now see how singularly tenacious the9e dreams of childhood are. I had really fine times in Russia, and I have enjoyed myself since my return, but the first moment of real happiness which I have seen was when I saw you on the stage just now. Then my happiness was complete. But there, I must leave you.' She arose gracefully, gave him her hand and said, * I shall see you again ?' ' 1 am not sure,' said Lionel doubtfully. eWe have passed a delicious hour of enchantment together Do you not think that our meeting in the midst of real life would break the charm ?' 'Possibly,' she answered, thoughtfully. ' A.9 you pi -axe,' and she disappeared in one ot the wings. M de JKias left the theatre and took the nearest road to his hotel, a prey to the most violent agitation of miud. He was far from failing to appreciate the enticements which tho adveniure seemed to offer him His hopes of a legitimate domestic happiness w«Te now nothing but bitter reua?mbrance9 of the past. Why should he not accept this agreeable diversion which seemed to have been . expressly provided to draw him from his deserted and cheerless fireside. Nevertheless he hesitated. He knew that this m<irul weakness would prove a decisive step in his life. To yield to the temptation was to plunge himself into shipwreck, and the itep would ba irrevocable, lie had not oaiy h <ped to gam hupp ness in marriage, but self-rcspest, an extended range for doing jjood in life, and a worthy ending of an uunorud life. Because his expected happiness had failed him, should ho there ore renounce all tho rest? Should he allow the passion of youth at this late hour to regain possession of him and to transform him littlo by little, first to an unfauhlul husbaud, and then to a vieiou-. old man ? His wife waa out this evening. As usual she had gone to a ball with her mother. He was unable, therefore, to 1 seek courage and strength from her companionship. But be thought of his children, whom h* loved, and to whom his honor was as preciou* as to himself tie resolved to seek aid at the cradle of thes? niQOoents. It was his custom, when Mme. do Rias was not at home, to pass tlou^h her room to gain that of the children. He entered as u>ual his wife's apartment. To his surprise he found her already returned. She had probably been at home for some time, for she was in bed and asleep, one arm resting under her head. The pale but warm face of the actress, which had haunted Lionel until now, disappeared at once before this lovely picture, calm and beautiful as a fljwer. He paused to look at her. His heart once more became tender, and love and confidence once more gained possession. No, all was not 1 'St. On her chaite brow, and in her bosom which heaved as gently as the breath of a child, h^ rend virtue and truth in living letters. Why should he despair ? What conflict was there between them P Nothing, A few clouds, a few misunderstandings, which a word timely spoken, one moment of love, one outpouring of the heart, might dissipate forever. Suppose he should try it ? Supposed he should say to her, 'My darling, I love you and you lore me. We are both of us faithful. We have hippiness in our hands. Why should we not enjoy it ? Let us seek it togther.' Ho drew near her aud she awoke with a •tart. Her look, which was at first odo of vague astonishment at meeting the eyes of her husband, soou assumed au expression of unrest, almost of alarm. Her eyebrows slightly contracted, and she moved a little away from him, as though attempting a timid defence. M de Kias noting this, suddenly became very pale A rigid coldness ac tied on his features, and laughing bitterly, he said : 'Oh don t be afraid, 1 was only going to see my children ; I did not know that you had returned ; how should t? What miracle has been wrought to ••end you home io early. Permit me iiow that tho occasion ' offers to say that you have dissipated too much of late You are at home neither day nor night. It strikes me that you are carrying thing thing a little too far.' ' If you were at home a little oftener yourself,' she answered, somewhat indignantly, 'you would know that my children take all my time during the day until three o'clock, and that I ntver leave them m i be evenings until they are snfe in bed When my duties are done I amuse myself as beit I can. I circulate in the same •ociety with other ladies of my position. You think that is wrong ; I don't. You will not go with me ; you don't want me to go alone ; and now it seems you don't want me to go with my mother. What do you want ? Am I to be a simple piece of furniture in your houie P An unfeeling, unthinking orntment, which is never to be moved ; which is to remain always •tationary, to wait on your very fare presence, and your good pleainre ? If that is what you want, say no.' ' I want nothing,' xaiil Lionel with a look of old disdain ' AJieu, Mane,' and he passed from the room There wa« such a serious emphasis to his farewell, that the young wife coulJ not fail to see it) significance. They were parted. She made a gesture of dtipa y half raited herself in bed, and wai about

to spring out to reeill with a cry of remorse the man who hnd deserted li*r. who hart loved her ho much, and w liom she loved abovo all, when she was soi/ed with i sudden convulsion of uricf She plunged her hdid beneath tho (overhd. and there stifled the sols and moans which she could not reprc-s.