the ways of men-第37节

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canvas。　　　In　the　foreground　a　cluster　of　Greek　palaces　and　temples　　surround　a　market…place；　higher　up　and　further　back　the　city　　walls；　manned　by　costumed　sentinels；　rise　against　mountains　so　　happily　painted　that　their　outlines　blend　with　nature's　own　　handiwork　in　the　distance；　…　a　worthy　setting　for　a　stately　　drama　and　the　valiant　company　of　actors　who　have　travelled　　from　the　capital　for　this　solemnity。

Three　hundred　hidden　musicians；　divided　into　wind　and　chord　　orchestras；　accompany　a　chorus　of　two　hundred　executants；　and　　furnish　the　music　for　a　ballet　of　seventy　dancers。

As　the　third　stroke　dies　away；　the　Muse；　Mademoiselle　　Rabuteau；　enters　and　declaims　the　salutation　addressed　by　　Louis　Gallet　to　the　City　of　Beziers。　　At　its　conclusion　the　　tragedy　begins。

This　is　not　the　place　to　describe　or　criticise　at　length　so　　new　an　attempt　at　classic　restoration。　　The　author　follows　the　　admirable　fable　of　antiquity　with　a　directness　and　simplicity　　worthy　of　his　Greek　model。　　The　story　of　Dejanira　and　Hercules　　is　too　familiar　to　be　repeated　here。　　The　hero's　infidelity　　and　the　passion　of　a　neglected　woman　are　related　through　five　　acts　logically　and　forcibly；　with　the　noble　music　of　Saint…　Saens　as　a　background。

We　watch　the　growing　affection　of　the　demi…god　for　the　gentle　　Iole。　　We　sympathize　with　jealous；　desperate　Dejanira　when　in　　a　last　attempt　to　gain　back　the　love　of　Hercules　she　persuades　　the　unsuspecting　Iole　to　offer　him　a　tunic　steeped　in　Nessus's　　blood；　which　Dejanira　has　been　told　by　Centaur　will　when　　warmed　in　the　sun　restore　the　wearer　to　her　arms。

At　the　opening　of　the　fifth　act　we　witness　the　nuptial　fetes。　　　Religious　dances　and　processions　circle　around　the　pyre　laid　　for　a　marriage　sacrifice。　　Dejanira；　hidden　in　the　throng；　　watches　in　an　agony　of　hope　for　the　miracle　to　be　worked。

Hercules　accepts　the　fatal　garment　from　the　hands　of　his　bride　　and　calls　upon　the　sun…god　to　ignite　the　altars。　　The　pyre　　flames；　the　heat　warms　the　clinging　tunic；　which　wraps　　Hercules　in　its　folds　of　torture。　　Writhing　in　agony；　he　　flings　himself　upon　the　burning　pyramid；　followed　by　Dejanira；　　who；　in　despair；　sees　too　late　that　she　has　been　but　a　tool　in　　the　hands　of　Nessus。

No　feeble　prose；　no　characters　of　black　or　white；　can　do　　justice　to　the　closing　scenes　of　this　performance。　　The　roar　　of　the　chorus；　the　thunder　of　the　actors'　voices；　the　　impression　of　reality　left　on　the　breathless　spectators　by　the　　open…air　reality　of　the　scene；　the　ardent　sun；　the　rustling　　wind；　the　play　of　light　and　shade　across　the　stage；　the　　invocation　of　Hercules　addressed　to　the　real　heavens；　not　to　a　　painted　firmament；　combined　an　effect　that　few　among　that　vast　　concourse　will　forget。

At　the　farewell　banquet　in　the　arena　after　the　performance；　　Georges　Leygues；　the　captain　of　the　Cadets；　in　answer　to　a　　speech　from　the　Prefect；　replied：　〃You　ask　about　our　aims　and　　purposes　and　speak　in　admiration　of　the　enthusiasm　aroused　by　　the　passage　of　our　band！

〃Our　aims　are　to　vivify　the　traditions　and　language　of　our　　native　land；　and　the　memory　of　a　glorious　ancestry；　to　foster　　the　love　of　our　little　province　at　the　same　time　as　patriotism　　for　the　greater　country。　　We　are　striving　for　a　　decentralization　of　art；　for　the　elevation　of　the　stage；　but　　above　all；　we　preach　a　gospel　of　gayety　and　healthy　laughter；　　the　science　of　remaining　young　at　heart；　would　teach　pluck　and　　good　humor　in　the　weary　struggle　of　existence；　characteristics　　that　have　marked　our　countrymen　through　history！　　We　have　　borrowed　a　motto　from　Lope　de　Vega　（that　Gascon　of　another　　race）；　and　inscribe　‘PAR　LA　LANGUA　ET　PAR　L'EPEE'　upon　our　　banner；　that　these　purposes　may　be　read　by　the　world　as　it　　runs。〃




Chapter　30　…　The　Dinner　and　the　Drama


CLAUDE　FROLLO；　holding　the　first　printed　book　he　had　seen　in　　one　hand；　and　pointing　with　the　other　to　the　gigantic　mass　of　　Notre　Dame；　dark　against　the　sunset；　prophesied　〃CECI　TUERA　　CELA。〃　　One　might　to…day　paraphrase　the　sentence　which　Victor　　Hugo　put　into　his　archdeacon's　mouth；　and　pointing　to　the　　elaborately　appointed　dinner…tables　of　our　generation；　assert　　that　the　Dinner　was　killing　the　Drama。

New　York　undoubtedly　possesses　at　this　moment　more　and　better　　constructed　theatres；　in　proportion　to　its　population；　than　　any　other　city　on　the　globe；　and；　with　the　single　exception　of　　Paris；　more　money　is　probably　spent　at　the　theatre　by　our　　people　than　in　any　other　metropolis。　　Yet　curiously　enough；　　each　decade；　each　season　widens　the　breach　between　our　　discriminating　public　and　the　stage。　　The　theatre；　instead　of　　keeping　abreast　with　the　intellectual　movement　of　our　country；　　has　for　the　last　thirty　years　been　slowly　but　steadily　　declining；　until　at　this　moment　there　is　hardly　a　company　　playing　in　legitimate　comedy；　tragedy；　or　the　classic　　masterpieces　of　our　language。

In　spite　of　the　fact　that　we　are　a　nation　in　full　literary　　production；　boasting　authors　who　rank　with　the　greatest　of　　other　countries；　there　is　hardly　one　poet　or　prose…writer　to…　day；　of　recognized　ability；　who　works　for　the　stage；　nor　can　　we　count　more　than　one　or　two　high…class　comedies　or　lyric　　dramas　of　American　origin。

It　is　not　my　intention　here　to　criticise　the　contemporary　　stage；　although　the　condition　of　the　drama　in　America　is　so　　unique　and　so　different　from　its　situation　in　other　countries　　that　it　might　well　attract　the　attention　of　inquiring　minds；　　but　rather　to　glance　at　the　social　causes　which　have　produced　　this　curious　state　of　affairs；　and　the　strained　relations　　existing　between　our　elite　（here　the　word　is　used　in　its　　widest　and　most　elevated　sense）　and　our　stage。

There　can　be　little　doubt　that　the　deterioration　in　the　class　　of　plays　produced　at　our　theatres　has　been　brought　about　by　　changes　in　our　social　conditions。　　The　pernicious　〃star〃　　system；　the　difficulty　of　keeping　stock　companies　together；　　the　rarity　of　histrionic　ability　among　Americans　are　　explanations　which　have　at　different　times　been　offered　to　　account　for　these　phenomena。　　Foremost；　however；　among　the　　causes　should　be　placed　an　exceedingly　simple　and　prosaic　fact　　which　seems　to　have　escaped　notice。　　I　refer　to　the　　displacement　of　the　dinner　hour；　and　the　ceremony　now　　surrounding　that　meal。

Forty　years　ago　dinner　was　still　a　simple　affair；　taken　at　　hours　varying　from　three　to　five　o'clock；　and　uniting　few　but　　the　members　of　a　family；　holidays　and　fetes　being　the　rare　　occasions　when　guests　were　asked。　　There　was　probably　not　a　　hotel　in　this　country　at　that　time　where　a　dinner　was　served　　later　than　three　o'clock；　and　Delmonico's；　newly　installed　in　　Mr。　Moses　Grinnell's　house；　corner　of　Fourteenth　Street　and　　Fifth　Avenue；　was　the　only　establishment　of　its　kind　in　　America；　and　the　one　restaurant　in　New　York　where　ladies　could　　be　taken　to　dine。　　In　those　tranquil　days　when　dinner　parties　　were　few　and　dances　a　rarity；　theatre…going　was　the　one　ripple　　on　the　quiet　stream　of　home　life。　　Wallack's；　at　the　corner　of　　Thirteenth　Street　and　Broadway；　Booth's　in　Twenty…third　　Street；　and　Fechter's　in　Fourteenth　Street　were　the　homes　of　　good　comedy　and　high…class　tragedy。

Along　about　1870　the　more　aristocratically…minded　New　Yorkers　　took　to　dining　at　six　or　six…thirty　o'clock；　since　then　each　　decade　has　seen　the　dinner　recede　further　into　the　night；　　until　it　is　a　common　occurrence　now　to　sit　down　to　that　repast　　at　eight　or　even　nine　o'clock。　　Not　only　has　the　hour　changed；　　but　the　meal　itself　has　undergone　a　radical　transformation；　in　　keeping　with　the　general　increase　of　luxurious　living；　　becoming　a　serious　although　hurried　function。　　In　consequence；　　to　go　to　the　theatre　and　be　present　at　the　rising　of　the　　curtain　means；　for　the　majority　possessing　sufficient　means　to　　go　often　to　the　play　and　culture　enough　to　be　discriminating；　　the　disarrangement　of　the　entire　machinery　of　a　household　as　　well　as　the　habits　of　its　inmates。

In　addition　to　this；　dozens　of　sumptuous　establishments　have　　sprung　up　where　the　pleasure　of　eating　is　supplemented　by　　allurements　to　the　eye　and　ear。　　Fine　orchestras　play　nightly；　　the　air　is　laden　with　the　perfume　of　flowers；　a　scenic　　perspective　of　palm　garden　and　marble　corridor　flatters　the　　senses。　　The　temptation；　to　a　man　wearied　by　a　day　of　business　　or　sport；　to　abandon　the　idea　of　going　to　a　theatre；　and　　linger　instead　over　his　cigar　amid　these　attractive　　surroundings；　is　almost　irresistible。

If；　however；　tempted　by　some　success；　he　hurries　his　guests　　away　from　their　meal；　they　are　in　no　condition　to　appreciate　a　　serious　performance。　　The　pressure　has　been　too　high　all　day　　for　the　overworked　man　and　his　ENERVEE　wife　to　desire　any　but　　the　lightest　tomfoolery　in　an　entertainment。　　People　engaged　　in　the　lethargic　process　of　digestion　are　not　good　critics　of　　either　elevated　poetry　or　delicate　interpretation；　and　in　　consequence　crave　amusement　rather　than　a　mental　stimulant。

Managers　were　quick　to　perceive　that　their　productions　were　no　　longer　taken　seriously；　and　that　it　was　a　waste　of　time　and　　money　to　offer　high…class　entertainments　to　audiences　whom　any　　nonsense　would　attract。　　When　a　play　like　THE　SWELL　MISS　　FITZWELL　will　pac