aracter. It can even go as far as weeping the
traditional six tears, as Madame de Sevigne did for Andromaque. Tears at
the theatre are all the sweeter, because they are all in vain. When, in
a play, we have a congenial character who is there from the beginning to
the end, the play is a success. Let us take _Cyraino de Bergerac_, for
instance, which is one of the greatest successes in the history of the
theatre.

Francois le Champi is eminently a congenial character, for he is a man
who always sets wrong things right. We are such believers in justice and
in the interference of Providence. When good, straightforward people are
persecuted by fate, we always expect to see a man appear upon the
scene who will be the champion of innocence, who will put evil-doers to
rights, and find the proper thing to do and say in every circumstance.

Francois appears at the house of Madeleine Blanchet, who is a widow and
very sad and ill. He takes her part and defends her from the results of
La Severe's intrigues. He is hard on the latter, and he disdains another
woman, Mariette, but both La Severe and Mariette love him, so true is
it that women have a weakness for conquerors. Francois only cares for
Madeleine, though. On the stage, we like a man to be adored by all
women, as this seems to us a guarantee that he will only care for one of
them.

"Champi" is a word peculiar to a certain district, meaning "natural
son." Dumas _fils_ wrote a play entitled _Le Fils naturel_. The hero
is also a superior man, who plays the part of Providence to the family
which has refused to recognize him.

In _Claudie_, as in _Francois le Champi_, the rural setting is one
of the great charms of the play. The first act is one of the most
picturesque scenes on the stage. It takes place in a farmyard, the
day when the reapers have finished their task, which is just as
awe-inspiring as that of the sowers. A cart, drawn by oxen, enters the
yard, bringing a sheaf all adorned with ribbons and flowers. The oldest
of the labourers, Pere Remy, addresses a fine couplet to the sheaf of
corn which has cost so much labour, but which is destined to keep life
in them all. Claudie is one of those young peasant girls, whom we met
with in the novel entitled _Jeanne_. She had been unfortunate, but
Jeanne, although virtuous and pure herself, did not despise her, for in
the country there is great latitude in certain matters. This is just the
plain story, but on the stage everyth