Page:The life and writings of Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870) (IA lifewritingsofal00spurrich).pdf/91

 "gone away without even making its expenses," and he pressed the fever-ridden author to set about a new play. This was destined to be "La Tour de Nesle." The plot of that drama was common property; from Villon's day all French readers had known of the vile Queen Marguerite of Burgundy, of her foul, nightly revels in the terrible Tower, and of the bodies which were found in the Seine next morning. It may be added that there is not a horror, or an incredible incident in the play, which history has not only justified, but asserted.

The authorship of the play led to a long and acrimonious dispute, which is best described in the words of Mr Walter Herries Pollock:

"It seems to me that no one who devotes a moderate attention to his dramatic works can reasonably doubt that in the celebrated quarrel about the play called the 'Tour de Nesle,' right was on the side of Dumas. This quarrel is worth some attention. The story takes up some four chapters of Dumas's 'Mémoires'; but briefly, the main facts were these:

"Harel, the great theatrical manager, had received a play in manuscript from a young author named Gaillardet. He thought there was capital stuff in it; but as it was written it was quite unfitted for stage representation on account of the author's inexperience. Jules Janin had tried to do something