the ways of men-第4章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
in the eyes of the literary public。
〃Between ourselves；〃 continued Coquelin； pushing aside his plate； a twinkle in his small eyes； 〃is the reason of this lack of success very difficult to discover？ The Princess in the piece is supposed to be a fairy enchantress in her sixteenth year。 The play turns on her youth and innocence。 Now； honestly； is Sarah； even on the stage； any one's ideal of youth and innocence？〃 This was asked so naively that I burst into a laugh； in which my host joined me。 Unfortunately； this grandmamma； like Ellen Terry； cannot be made to understand that there are roles she should leave alone； that with all the illusions the stage lends she can no longer play girlish parts with success。
〃The failure of his play produced the most disastrous effect on Rostand； who had given up a year of his life to its composition and was profoundly chagrined by its fall。 He sank into a mild melancholy； refusing for more than eighteen months to put pen to paper。 On the rare occasions when we met I urged him to pull himself together and rise above disappointment。 Little by little； his friends were able to awaken his dormant interest and get him to work again on CYRANO。 As he slowly regained confidence and began taking pleasure once more in his work； the boyish author took to dropping in on me at impossible morning hours to read some scene hot from his ardent brain。 When seated by my bedside； he declaimed his lines until； lit at his flame； I would jump out of bed； and wrapping my dressing…gown hastily around me； seize the manuscript out of his hands； and； before I knew it； find my self addressing imaginary audiences； poker in hand； in lieu of a sword； with any hat that came to hand doing duty for the plumed headgear of our hero。 Little by little； line upon line； the masterpiece grew under his hands。 My career as an actor has thrown me in with many forms of literary industry and dogged application； but the power of sustained effort and untiring； unflagging zeal possessed by that fragile youth surpassed anything I had seen。
〃As the work began taking form； Rostand hired a place in the country； so that no visitors or invitations might tempt him away from his daily toil。 Rich； young； handsome； married to a woman all Paris was admiring； with every door； social or Bohemian； wide open before his birth and talent； he voluntarily shut himself up for over a year in a dismal suburb； allowing no amusement to disturb his incessant toil。 Mme。 Rostand has since told me that at one time she seriously feared for his reason if not for his life； as he averaged ten hours a day steady work； and when the spell was on him would pass night after night at his study table； rewriting； cutting； modelling his play； never contented； always striving after a more expressive adjective； a more harmonious or original rhyme； casting aside a month's finished work without a second thought when he judged that another form expressed his idea more perfectly。
〃That no success is cheaply bought I have long known； my profession above all others is calculated to teach one that truth。
〃If Rostand's play is the best this century has produced； and our greatest critics are unanimous in pronouncing it equal； if not superior； to Victor Hugo's masterpieces； the young author has not stolen his laurels； but gained them leaf by leaf during endless midnight hours of brain…wringing effort … a price that few in a generation would be willing to give or capable of giving for fame。 The labor had been in proportion to the success； it always is！ I doubt if there is one word in his ‘duel' ballad that has not been changed again and again for a more fitting expression； as one might assort the shades of a mosaic until a harmonious whole is produced。 I have there in my desk whole scenes that he discarded because they were not essential to the action of the piece。 They will probably never be printed； yet are as brilliant and cost their author as much labor as any that the public applauded to… night。
〃As our rehearsals proceeded I saw another side of Rostand's character； the energy and endurance hidden in his almost effeminate frame astonished us all。 He almost lived at the theatre； drilling each actor； designing each costume； ordering the setting of each scene。 There was not a dress that he did not copy from some old print； or a PASSADE that he did not indicate to the humblest member of the troop。 The marvellous diction that I had noticed during the reading at Sarah's served him now and gave the key to the entire performance。 I have never seen him peevish or discouraged； but always courteous and cheerful through all those weary weeks of repetition； when even the most enthusiastic feel their courage oozing away under the awful grind of afternoon and evening rehearsal； the latter beginning at midnight after the regular performance was over。
〃The news was somehow spread among the theatre…loving public that something out if the ordinary was in preparation。 The papers took up the tale and repeated it until the whole capital was keyed up to concert pitch。 The opening night was eagerly awaited by the critics； the literary and the artistic worlds。 When the curtain rose on the first act there was the emotion of a great event floating in the air。〃 Here Coquelin's face assumed an intense expression I had rarely seen there before。 He was back on the stage； living over again the glorious hours of that night's triumph。 His breath was coming quick and his eyes aglow with the memory of that evening。 〃Never； never have I lived through such an evening。 Victor Hugo's greatest triumph； the first night of HERNANI； was the only theatrical event that can compare to it。 It； however； was injured by the enmity of a clique who persistently hissed the new play。 There is but one phrase to express the enthusiasm at our first performance … UNE SALLE EN DELIRE gives some idea of what took place。 As the curtain fell on each succeeding act the entire audience would rise to its feet； shouting and cheering for ten minutes at a time。 The coulisse and the dressing…rooms were packed by the critics and the author's friends； beside themselves with delight。 I was trembling so I could hardly get from one costume into another； and had to refuse my door to every one。 Amid all this confusion Rostand alone remained cool and seemed unconscious of his victory。 He continued quietly giving last recommendations to the figurants； overseeing the setting of the scenes； and thanking the actors as they came off the stage； with the same self…possessed urbanity he had shown during the rehearsals。 Finally； when the play was over； and we had time to turn and look for him； our author had disappeared； having quietly driven off with his wife to their house in the country； from which he never moved for a week。〃
It struck two o'clock as Coquelin ended。 The sleepless city had at last gone to rest。 At our feet； as we stood by the open window； the great square around the Arc de Triomphe lay silent and empty； its vast arch rising dimly against the night sky。
As I turned to go； Coquelin took my hand and remarked； smiling： 〃Now you have heard the story of a genius； an actor； and a masterpiece。〃
Chapter 4 … Machine…made Men
AMONG the commonplace white and yellow envelopes that compose the bulk of one's correspondence； appear from time to time dainty epistles on tinted paper； adorned with crests or monograms。 〃Ha！ ha！〃 I think when one of these appears； 〃here is something worth opening！〃 For between ourselves； reader mine； old bachelors love to receive notes from women。 It's so flattering to be remembered by the dear creatures； and recalls the time when life was beginning； and POULETS in feminine writing suggested such delightful possibilities。
Only this morning an envelope of delicate Nile green caused me a distinct thrill of anticipation。 To judge by appearances it could contain nothing less attractive than a declaration； so； tearing it hurriedly open； I read： 〃Messrs。 Sparks & Splithers take pleasure in calling attention to their patent suspenders and newest desi
