A TRAGIC LOVE-STORY.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 271, 13 November 1909, Page 18

A TRAGIC LOVE-STORY.

AX>TBNTUBES OP A MARSHAL OF 1 FRANCE. The life of Versailles and the French Corurt at the beginning of the eighteenth century, when the luxury that had its terrible reward in the Revolution was approaching its acme of recklessness, has always an Interest for the reader of to-day through the personalities of the people who lived It •The tragedy of Adrienne Lecouvreur, the actress who was the friend of Voltaire, and took a part in Court life In days when her profession should have put her outside the pale of society as well as the Ohurch, Is familiar to many, but they can scarcely fail to be interested in the reconstruction of her life-story, which finds place in. a very vivid life of Maurice de Saxe, the royal and daring adventurer, -who afterwards became Marshal of France, by Mr W. R. H. Trowbnldge. Writing the book as an autobiography, the author lhas happily caught the reckless, daring style one associates with thle type of hero. "Adrienne Lecouvreur," he writes, "wmi of middle height aud admirably made, with a noble and confident air, a well-poised head, shapely shoulders, eyes full of fire, a pretty mouth, a slightly aquiline nose, and very agreeable manners. Her features were the index of an extremely emotional nature, and her eyes In particular often eupplled the place of her voice. A CONCEPTION OF LOVE. "Apart from her rare histrionic gifts no one was better calculated to capture the suffrages of so critical and fastidious a world as that of Paris. Her charm and originality lay in her conception of love, the belief in which, killed by the cynical persiflage of the Regency, she restored. Witih Adrienne a need of loving and being loved was imperious. She had the melting tears, -the bewitching grace, and the voluptuous modesty associated with the memory of Mile, de la Valllere. "Perhaps nothing proved at once and more conclusively her indescribably personal fascination and her genius as an actress than the manner in which she was treated by the most exclusive society. At this time actors and actresses stiil lived beyond the pale of the respectable world. "For Adrienne Lecouvreur alone was an exception made. From the day of her arrival In Paris, from the night of her wonderful and Instant triumph, the moti exclusive had recognised the distinction ot flnement had by some miracle escaped the deteriorating influence of the lamentable life of the strolling player In ber long wander-schmerz In Flanders and Lorraine." The etory runs that out of Jealousy for ithe attentions paid her by Maurice de Saxe, the Duchess de Bouillon endeavoured to have her poisoned. Her enmity, at any rate, was well enough known, for she appeared in her box at the theatre and endeavoured to disconcert the actress by speaking insultingly of her to her companion in a voice that could be heard throughout the theatre. HiDR MYSTERIOUS DEATH. "It was not long after this Incident that the Affaire BoulUon-Saxe-Lecouvreur reached the fatal denouement which has given It a notable place In the list of classic mysterious scandals. A prey to nameless terrors, Adrlenne's heath, ever delicate, finally broke down. Her efforts to conquer the extreme lassitude and depression from_ which she suffered only increased «■>« rpbysieijl: exha,u>Uon that was gradually Mrivfrittti. Oa & while acting," fche wj!e 4 sfeiieo.' with'violent Int'/rtinal pains, to attacks of which shn was subject. la spite of her suffering, however, she went on with. Iher part, only to collapse on the final fall of the curtain. Fague, summoned the next morning to attend her, found her condition so de plorable that he despaired from the flrst of saving her. The news of her illness spread rapidly, and caused the greatest, excitement. All sorts of people, drawn by sheer idle curiosity, nocked to inquire concerning her health. Many forced their way lnto the house, and, like people at an auction, roariied from room to room examining everything; some were with ' dlffl culty prevented from penetrating to the chamber In which the great actress lay betwixt life and death. "Even the. Duchesse de Bouillon herself sent to make Inquiries; not in mockery or merely from curiosity, but Impelled by an unfeigned anxiety, kuowiug only too well that the death of her rival at such a time would be regarded by the public as absolute proof of the damning accusations thai had been m&de against her." A few days later the actress who refused to abjure the stage died "in the arms of Voltaire," expressing in her last words her love and trust in Maurice de Saxe. As unrepentant, she was denied burial In consecrated ground, the body. It Is said, being lowered into a pit by night and covered with quicklime.