TABLE TALK.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 54, 6 March 1890, Page 5

TABLE TALK.

(FROM our special correspondent.)

London, January 10, THE O'SHEA CASE.

If Mrs O'Shea had been a ravishingly beautiful girl of twenty instead of a portly dame of forty-five, the virtuous British public could hardly have made up its mind quicker than it has done concerning the dead certainty of Mr Parnell's guilt. Several papers, not content with condemning the Irish leader without a bitble of evidence, are absolutely busy discussing what will have to be done when he retires from public life. Personally I feel pretty, confident Mr Parnell will come out of this affair, as'out of the Pigott business, with flying colours. Love has in the past, no doubt, broughb certain great statesmen very low. In such cases, however, tho Delilah has invariably been young and fascinating. Ta imagine cold, grey, ascetic Mr Parnell and buxom, spectacled Mrs O'Shea billing and cooing together like a couple of elderly and rapidly-moulting lovebirds is, I confess, far beyond my imagination. No doubt Mrs O'Shea sympabhised with Mr Parnell very sincerely, and he confided in her and asked her opinion on many subjects. After a week's hard work in the Houso of Commons Parnell has been accustomed (oerfectly openly) to run away to Mrs O'Shea and her daughters ab Elbham from Saturday to Monday. It is related thab on one occasion when the Home Rule whip was lamenting Mr Parneli's departure on Friday afternoon a wag remarked, " Come, come, old man ; Parnell's had a bitter bad time of it these last few days. You mustn't grudge him his O'Shea-um (otium) cum dignitate."

THE EMPRESS AUGUSTA. The veteran Empress Augusta of Germany, who succumbed to an attack of the prevalent epidemic on .Tuesday, was a benevolent old lady, with strong religious and Anglo-phobist prejudices. She waa vory fond of her husband, but did not get on with him over well during the latter years of the old Kaiser's life, and for that reason they never stayed long in the same place. THE AUSTRIAN ROYAL HOUSE.

I The troubles of the Austrian Royal I Family seem to have no end. The Empress is growing more depressed every day, and the Court physicians are at their wit's end. Her Majesty's latest delusion is that the Archduchess Stephanie was primarily responsible for the CrowD Prince's death, and she hates the poor woman accordingly. The Archduchess herself wishes to contract a morganatic marriage with a young Austrian noblo, aud considers the Emperor a perfect monster of hard-heartedneas, because he will nob give his consent. His Majesty is also much upsot concerning the public disgrace of the Archduke, John, whom he has just been obliged to strip of his titles and reduce to the rank of a common civilian. John Orth (as His late Imperial Highness is now called) will in future be liable to exactly the same punishments for rioting, drunkenness, etc., as John Smith, or any other nobody, and ib is fully expected that before long he will be sentenced to a protracted term of imprisonment. Naturally the Emperor did not proceed to these extreme measures till everything else had been tried. The young man's debts were paid again and again, and he has been given fresh start after fresh start; always, however, with the same discreditable result—a new break oub. SARA BERNHARDT AS "JOAN OF ARC." The divine Sara has from all accounts achieved a greab success as "Joan of Arc " Tout Paris is flocking to the Porte St Martin to witness the religious fervour

of Madame Bernhardt, who is passing through an intensely pious phase ju&b now, and bub for alighting on the congenially serious of "Joan," would probably have retired permanently (i.e., for, say three weeks) to a convent. Madame Bernhardt takes M. Bastion Lepage's view of Joan's character, which is, that tho raids of the Burgundians upset the maid's nervous system, and that, though her robust peasant physique remained comparatively unshaken, she was a neurotic, and subject to hallucinations. Madame Bernhardt acts throughout as if Joan were ruled by some hynpotic suggestion. This she makes explain Joan's extreme gentleness yet intense obstinacy and perseverance. A Paris correspondent of the •' Daily News" briefly describes Madame Bernhardt's new triumph thus : We see Joan for the first time on the road which passes the cottage where sho was born at Domremy. The Champagne country in front is desolate, and has been desolated. It gives the keynote of lugubrious melancholy which is to pervade the drama, and even in acts in which Joan triumphs the sunset has an angry glow. Joan is exhorting a number of peasants who have fled from marauding Burgundianfi, the allies of tho King of England, who keeps the fair Duke of Orleans a captive in London. Sho has just saved her sister from insults at the hands of a Burgundian, by breaking his sword in two wibh a blow of a reaping hook. Tho heavenly voices had been making revelations to her just before she performs this deed of valour, and she announces her intention of not marrying young Thibaut, to whom her father had betrothed her, but to go to Chinon on a mission to the King from St. Catherine and: St. Margaret, and the Archangel Michael. Heavenly beings here sing "Dieu le Veulb," and Joan's countenance, which is artless and candid, takes an expression of religious exaltation. She is dressed as in Rude'a statue, in a short blue skirt with a long bodice; her flaxen hair falls over ber shoulders, and a chaplet of large beads fastened to her side betokens her prayerful habits. The scene in which the celestial visitant comes to her as she is busy with her distaff is beautifully rendered by Mine. Bernhardt, the chorus and the musicians. At Orleans she is too much the woman in soldier's disguise, but the difficulty of not behaving as a virago is avoided by adherence to the theory of Joan being under hypnotic possession and imbued with religious mysticism. She goes on as if she could not help herself, against the advice of Lahire and Dunois.puts tbe English to flight and takes the Wooden Tower in which other English command the L«ire. Her costume is nearly the same as that in the statue of tbo Princess Marie at Veraailles, and pious e_. jlems are embroidered as well on her flag. The tableau of the coronation of Charles at Rheims is one of surpassing splendour, and Gounod's " Coronation March " is spirit-stirring, and approaches the sublime. Religious pomp is mingled with Court pageantry. Joan alone is sad ; she stands in front of the altar leaning on her banner, and a prey to gloomy presentiments. All but herself regard the Coronation as her triumph, and her sombre expression contrasts with the bravery of her apparel, for her armour is of gold and the skii-b of soft white leather, on which gold fleur-de-lys are embroidered. The parb in which Sarah Bernhardt is at her best; and in which, indeed, she is admirable, is the scene in a vault of the castle when she is a captive, and answering the judges who have been sent to question her relative to the charge of witchcraft. She is in a half light for some time, chained, and on straw cast on the ground to serve as a bed. The answers are straight, simple, and the diction is marvellous. She is in the clothes she wore at Chinon, and cannot be jjot to pub them away or to retract. Her martyrdom is a perfect result of stage illusion. Joan is in the long shift that she demanded. After her judges have taken then places on the platform she is brought by men-at-arms, procurators, clerks, and others to the pile, which she ascends in a state of ecstasy. The executioneer, in blood-red from head to foot, binds her and applies a torch to the faggots. She cries, ' Jesus, Mary, receive my soul!' the dark sky brightens., angels fly to meet her with palm branches, and the funeral march is played before a weeping crowd, and as her celestial guides come to her the curtain falls. THEATRICAL NOTES.

At the dress rehearsal of "Joan of Arc," the maid's pile of funeral faggots were by mischance set actually alight, and Madame Bernhardt narrowly escaped being badly burned. As things were, she got off with a slight singing and a severe fright, which is more than can be eaid for the two carpenters who had to extinguish the flaming pile, both of whom are now in hospital. "Sweet Lavender" will be played at Terry's Theatre for tho 690 th and last time on the Ist prox., after which Mr E. Terry will let his theatre and go abroad for a long tour in the East. Mr Jerome K. Jerome (author of the famous " Idle Thoughts," " Stageland," etc.) takes it. He has already achieved fair success as a writer of short pieces (" Barbara." for example, and "Sunset"), and the Kendals played his " Woodbarrow Farm" in the provinces several times. This, however, will be Mr Jerome's first serious dramatic venture in London. Tho death is announced of Signor Gayarre, once the " Prince of Tenors." He was a Spaniard by birth, and sung oftener in Madrid than anywhere else. His dfebut in London took place in 1877 at the Royal Italian Opera. The role Gayarre selected was the same as that chosen by Italo Campanini on a similar occasion, viz., Gennaro in "Lucrezia Borgia." He secured a great triumph, and for five subsequent seasons ruled the roosb at Covenb Garden. Then the handsome tenor disappeared till 1886, when he was welcomed back enthusiastically, and made a prime hit in Glinkas' " Life of the Czar." LITERARY NOTES.

Two notable serials commenced to run thr6ugh Tillotson's syndicate last Saturday, viz., "Beatrice," by H. Rider Haggard, and " Armorel of Lyonesse," by Walter Besant. Wm. Black's " New Prince Fortunatus" is announced for publication in 3 volumes nexb Monday. Other immediately forthcoming fiction are " Position " (in 3 volumes), by "Ouida;" "For Love of a Lass," by Austin Clare ; and " A Game of Bluff," by Christie Murray's brother Henry Murray. The death is announced, after a long and painful illness, of Mr Percy Greg, a daring and original writer on philosophic subjects and a fairly successful novelist. His more serious works were " The Devil's Advocate" aud "Across the Zodiac," and be also compiled a history of the American Civil War, from a Confederate point of view, that gave great offence in the North. The scenes of Percy Greg's best novels were laid in the South during this struggle, and the principal battles 'twixt Northerners and Confederates are most vividly and realistically described in " Errant" and I " Sanguelac." Both these stories are indeed admirable specimens of military romance. One imagined them written by a daring, adventurous soldier, who had been through the war himself. As a matter of fact, Mr Greg was a pale, emaciated invalid, who had never even crossed the Atlantic. His father (W. R. Greg) achieved considerable repute as the author of "Enigmas of Life," "The Warnings of Cassandra " and other similar works.

Mr Hall Caine's new Icelandic romance, " The Bondman," which he has been telling everyone for the last twelvemonbh is "quite the finest thing" he has written, will be published nexb month by Mr Wm. Heinemann (the late manager of Trubners), who is setting up on his own account. The terrific onslaught addressed "To Edwd. Fitzgerald?' which Browning con-

tributedtoarecenfc "Atbenreum" afterreading tho dead man's callous remarks on his beloved wife's demise, is not, one is glad co notice, included in "Asolando." I hear indeed the poeb regretted having written the fierce linos. "The fact is," he explained to Dr. Farnwall, "1 called on a friend and found Fitzgerald's book on the table. As ill luck would have it I opened it ab random ab tho very page where Fitz wroto that about my wife. I said to myself, ' Good heavens ! he thanks God my wife is dead.' When I got home I coulrtn'b rest. . Ab nighb I thought of nothing else. I walked about the room repeating 'he thanks God my wifo is dead.' Then I sab down and wrote those verses and sent them to the * Athenaeum' first thing in the morning.