the ways of men(人们的手段)-第3章
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difference of language and rhythm would allow； this CHEF D'OEUVRE
unchanged； free from the mutilations of the adapter； with the author's
wishes and the stage decorations followed into the smallest detail。 In this
way we profit by the vast labor and study which Rostand and Coquelin
gave to the original production。
Rumors of the success attained by this play in Paris soon floated
across to us。 The two or three French booksellers here could not import the
piece fast enough to meet the ever increasing demand of our reading
public。 By the time spring came； there were few cultivated people who had
not read the new work and discussed its original language and daring
treatment。
On arriving in Paris； my first evening was passed at the Porte St。
Martin。 After the piece was over； I dropped into Coquelin's dressing…room
to shake this old acquaintance by the hand and give him news of his many
friends in America。
Coquelin in his dressing…room is one of the most delightful of mortals。
The effort of playing sets his blood in motion and his wit sparkling。 He
seemed as fresh and gay that evening as though there were not five killing
acts behind him and the fatigue of a two…hundred…night run； uninterrupted
even by Sundays； added to his 〃record。〃
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After the operation of removing his historic nose had been performed
and the actor had resumed his own clothes and features； we got into his
carriage and were driven to his apartment in the Place de l'Etoile； a cosy
museum full of comfortable chairs and priceless bric…a…brac。 The
conversation naturally turned during supper on the piece and this new
author who had sprung in a night from obscurity to a globe…embracing
fame。 How； I asked； did you come across the play； and what decided you
to produce it？
Coquelin's reply was so interesting that it will be better to repeat the
actor's own words as he told his tale over the dismantled table in the
tranquil midnight hours。
〃I had； like most Parisians； known Rostand for some time as the author
of a few graceful verses and a play （LES ROMANESQUES）which passed
almost unnoticed at the Francais。
〃About four years ago Sarah Bernhardt asked me to her ‘hotel' to hear
M。 Rostand read a play he had just completed for her。 I accepted
reluctantly； as at that moment we were busy at the theatre。 I also doubted if
there could be much in the new play to interest me。 It was LA
PRINCESSE LOINTAINE。 I shall remember that afternoon as long as I
live！ From the first line my attention was riveted and my senses were
charmed。 What struck me as even more remarkable than the piece was the
masterly power and finish with which the boyish author delivered his lines。
Where； I asked myself； had he learned that difficult art？ The great actress；
always quick to respond to the voice of art； accepted the play then and
there。
〃After the reading was over I walked home with M。 Rostand； and had
a long talk with him about his work and ambitions。 When we parted at his
door； I said： ‘In my opinion； you are destined to become the greatest
dramatic poet of the age； I bind myself here and now to take any play you
write （in which there is a part for me） without reading it； to cancel any
engagements I may have on hand； and produce your piece with the least
possible delay。' An offer I don't imagine many young poets have ever
received； and which I certainly never before made to any author。
〃About six weeks later my new acquaintance dropped in one morning
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to read me the sketch he had worked out for a drama； the title role of
which he thought would please me。 I was delighted with the idea； and told
him to go ahead。 A month later we met in the street。 On asking him how
the play was progressing； to my astonishment he answered that he had
abandoned that idea and hit upon something entirely different。 Chance had
thrown in his way an old volume of Cyrano de Bergerac's poems； which so
delighted him that he had been reading up the life and death of that
unfortunate poet。 From this reading had sprung the idea of making Cyrano
the central figure of a drama laid in the city of Richelieu； d'Artagnan； and
the PRECIEUSES RIDICULES； a seventeenth…century Paris of love and
duelling。
〃At first this idea struck me as unfortunate。 The elder Dumas had
worked that vein so well and so completely； I doubted if any literary gold
remained for another author。 It seemed foolhardy to resuscitate the
THREE GUARDSMEN epoch … and I doubted if it were possible to carry
out his idea and play an intense and pathetic role disguised with a
burlesque nose。
〃This contrasting of the grotesque and the sentimental was of course
not new。 Victor Hugo had broken away from classic tradition when he
made a hunchback the hero of a drama。 There remained； however； the risk
of our Parisian public not accepting the new situation seriously。 It seemed
to me like bringing the sublime perilously near the ridiculous。
〃Fortunately； Rostand did not share this opinion or my doubts。 He was
full of enthusiasm for his piece and confident of its success。 We sat where
we had met； under the trees of the Champs Elysees； for a couple of hours；
turning the subject about and looking at the question from every point of
view。 Before we parted the poet had convinced me。 The role； as he
conceived it； was certainly original； and therefore tempting； opening vast
possibilities before my dazzled eyes。
〃I found out later that Rostand had gone straight home after that
conversation and worked for nearly twenty hours without leaving the
study； where his wife found him at daybreak； fast asleep with his head on a
pile of manuscript。 He was at my rooms the next day before I was up；
sitting on the side of my bed； reading the result of his labor。 As the story
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unfolded itself I was more and more delighted。 His idea of resuscitating
the quaint interior of the Hotel de Bourgogne Theatre was original； and the
balcony scene； even in outline； enchanting。 After the reading Rostand
dashed off as he had come； and for many weeks I saw no more of him。
〃LA PRINCESSE LOINTAINE was； in the meantime； produced by
Sarah； first in London and then in Paris。 In the English capital it was a
failure； with us it gained a SUCCES D'ESTIME； the fantastic grace and
lightness of the piece saving it from absolute shipwreck 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
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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
