merly used, calling him murderer, robber, monster
and--man.

{449}

The poor misanthrope screams for help and the whole family rushing in
Astragalus turns his wrath upon them, cursing them one and all. This
is too much for Rappelkopf. "Enough of the play" he cries, "I was a
madman and a sinner, not he, but I am Rappelkopf, and I freely confess
that my hatred towards mankind in general and especially against my own
dear family was as wicked as it was unfounded!" At these word a peal
of thunder is heard and the room becomes dark. When the light returns,
Astragalus has vanished and Rappelkopf stands before his family in his
own form. Deeply moved, he begs pardon of every one, he embraces his
faithful wife and daughter and unites the two pairs of lovers, Martha
and Hans--Lieschen and Habakuk.

MANON.

Opera in four acts by J. MASSENET.

Text by HENRY MEILHAC and PHILIPPE GILLE.

The subject of this opera is based on Prevost's famous novel "Manon
Lescaut". The libretto is much weaker than the story, but the music is
most graceful and charming, and quite makes up for the defects of the
text.

The scene is laid in France in 1721.

The first act takes place in the courtyard of a large inn at Amiens.

Several young cavaliers are amusing themselves by paying attentions to
three pretty ladies. They {450} impatiently call upon their host to
bring dinner, and at last it is brought to them in great state.

While they are dining in the large saloon above, the stage-coach
arrives with a great number of travellers; amongst them is young Manon,
a country girl of sixteen; this is her first journey which alas is to
end in a convent, an arrangement made by her parents who think her
taste for worldly pleasures is greater than it should be. She is
expected by her cousin Lescaut, a Garde du Corps, and while he is
looking for her luggage, the young beauty is accosted by
Guillot-Marfontaine, an old roue, and rich farmer, who annoys her with
his equivocal speeches, and offers her a seat in his carriage. He is
quickly driven away by Lescaut on his return; the young man is however
enticed away by his comrades to play a game of cards, for which purpose
he leaves his cousin a second time. Before long another cavalier
approaches Manon; this time it is the Chevalier de Grieux, a young
nobleman, whose good looks and charming manners please the young girl
much better. They quickly fall in love with each other, and when de