| Show GREAT BOOKS dumas stor story y formed basis for dramata Tr amata aW 0 NE has grown used to seeing characters from favorite books on the screen there is interest also in meeting again the old books just as their authors wrote them long before the cinema era among famous love stories recently brought to the screen is that of camille the lady created by alexander dumas in his book the lady of 0 y the camellias you recall that dumas opened his romantic novel by relating how he himself had gone to the sale of the personal elizabeth possessions of mar james guerine gautier a beautiful courtesan of paris he bought the book manoh which had been inscribed jy by one armand airland duval whom he guessed to be one of her lovers the day after this sale a card was presented at the authors door bearing the name of armand duval very curious dumas invited the caller into his a apartment part ment the personable young man could hardly talk tor for weeping he wanted to buy back the book manon after much weeping duval told fold the story of the lady of the camellias marguerite Marguer gautier outstanding among the lovely women in paris had as her favorite flower the camellia which she wore ahe the year round in preference to all other flowers from the time that armand first saw her his bis life was not the same when he obtained an introduction to her he was so overcome that he made a very silly impression and for two years he made no effort to see her again at one time she was ill for two months and he went daily to inquire about her never leaving his name marguerite Is consumptive finally he arranged to meet her again when she learned that it was he who had come daily for two months she was interested and invited him to supper he knew already that she was consumptive marguerite had never seen anyone pity her so deeply and she was touched when armand told her how much he loved her she explained that her mode of life was lavish that she spent francs a year but no arguments pro pre availed against their mutual attraction marguerite loved armand As spring came she suggested that they leave paris and take a house in the country for the summer this plan seemed idyllic and proved to be so for six months the lovers were happy then came a message for armand to meet his father in paris the interview between father and son was stormy but neither gave way to the other the next day armand called again to see his father but found him out returning to marguerite he be found her in a state of agitation worse than he had believed possible she gave him vague reasons and wept continuously the next day she urged armand to go once more to see his father to please her he did so marguerite disappears late in the evening when armand returned to the country he found the house dark frantic he found that marguerite had gone A letter stated that their relationship had been lovely but it could not last armand was wild he would show herl back in paris he went everywhere that marguerite went he gambled and lived recklessly taking every occasion to insult her marguerite fled from paris in her exile the lady ot of the camellias knew that she would soon die longing for armand she wrote him each day but did not send the letters she gave instructions that when she was dead these letters with one other should be sent to armand on returning to paris armand learned of her death and received her letters with one from his father to marguerite in which armands father had implored marguerite in the name of her love to give up his son so that the family name and future would be untarnished the importunate letter had used every means to win her to the idea that she would be doing an heroic herpic deed in the name of 10 love i the plot of Verdis lera apera le la traviata c comes orn e rom om this book 0 bell bervice der vice |
