Page:The life and writings of Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870) (IA lifewritingsofal00spurrich).pdf/186

 away and have a good sleep; I'm tired, I've done enough."

"He brought down his thirtieth partridge," says Blaze de Bury, "and we saw him making his way towards the farm. When we returned at five o'clock, he was sitting before the fire in the kitchen, gazing at the flames and twirling his thumbs.

Whatever are you doing there?' asked his son.

As you see, I am resting,'

Have you had any sleep?"

No, impossible! There is such an abominable uproar in this farm,—sheep, cows, labourers,—it's impossible to close one's eyes.'

Then all this time you've been twirling your thumbs?'

No, I have written a play in one act.'

"As a matter of fact he had just written 'Romulus,' which he amused himself by getting Regnier to read at the Comédie Française as being by 'a young, unknown writer.' It was accepted with unanimity." (The version which Dumas himself gives in "Bric-à-brac" of the origin of this play differs only in unimportant details from his friend's account.)

The father's analysis of the son's play "La Dame aux Camélias" shows his knowledge of stagecraft in a striking light. The elder Dumas added to his criticism his opinion that the courtesan on whose career the play and book were based, was