Le bercail (1919)

[bunniefuu]

LE BERCAIL ("EVELYNE")

Drama in four acts, adapter after

the novel of Henri Bernstein

In the lead role, the eminent

French film artist: Miss

Marcelle Prado as Evelyne.

First part.

Of an independent, cheerful

disposition, Evelyne is bored to

death in the small provincial town,

where due to the sudden passing

of her parents she lives with her

uncle, the alderman Lemaistre...

...with her quarrelsome aunt...

...and her jealous cousins, who

make life hell on earth for her.

The Lemaistres make feverish

preparations for an important visit.

Etienne Landry, a rich industrial

and a "brilliant match" is

the person, who is expected

by the Lemaistres. They arduously

hope, that he will take one of

their daughters for a wife.

Julia, the loyal governess, is

fully aware of the momentous visit.

Left completely to her own devices,

Evelyne, who takes absolutely

no part in the offensive,

thinks to have found a parcel

that will give her opportunity to

indulge in her romantic tendencies.

Provincial life...

"I have the honour... to

ask... the hand... of...

...Miss Evelyne..."

A light on the horizon...

Youth possesses so many ideals, which

are never realised, that it takes

each disappointment far too heavy.

Reality.

"Mr. Landry has proposed to you

and we have given our permission."

After some time has passed...

...a big change occurred

in Evelyne's life.

Married since four years

with Etienne Landry, whom

she does not love, and mother

of a most darling son, Evelyne

has settled with her small

family in the capital,

in the hope of finding

distraction there, but she

was bitterly disappointed.

Capital wanted. Industrialist asks

capital for expansion of his

business. Letters under letter L.

Today last reception in this season

by mrs. Lormoy, University Street...

Mrs. De Santa-Maria hereby has

the honour of inviting you

to the big garden party, that she

is going to give Tuesday 21 July.

Her artistic nature resisted

against the monotonous life,

that she was forced to lead

beside her busband and child...

Evelyne gasped for wealth...

entertainment... and love...

Mrs. De Santa-Maria hereby has

the honour of inviting you

to the big garden party, that she

is going to give Tuesday 21 July.

The conflict.

Landry was a simple business man and

strict husband. His prosaic notions

rose completely against the expensive

outfits of his young wife... He

could not imagine, that Evelyne, when

she was chiquely dressed, felt happy...

Mr. and Mrs. De Santa Maria...

"I hope, you are not thinking of

going to that party... our means

don't afford us such dissipations..."

"And moreover you must not forget,

that today is the last reception day

with Mrs. Lormoy, the godmother

of our little George. I understand,

that it is very unpleasant for

you to go there but needs must.

"It MUST... Mrs. Lormoy is very

influential... and she can be

of great use to our son later..."

The will of the husband

is an order for the wife.

And so it was, that Evelyne

came to consider the household

more and more like a prison...

Tuesday...the day, that the "annoying"

Mrs. Lormoy considered a holiday.

In her simple salons she received her

friends and "introducés" most cordial.

One of the "terrors" of the house

Lormoy: The conferencier...

A month passed.

Rosa, the sister of Landry, an example

of an "old spinster" who contributes her

bit to make domestic life into a hell.

A letter.

Mrs. Evelyne Landryy

42 Rue Duroc

Local

"Really don't you understand, my dear

Etienne, that this is again a letter

from Jacques Foucher... who in my humble

opinion comes here far too often..."

Mrs. Evelyne Landryy

42 Rue Duroc

Local

It's only four weeks ago, that I made your

acquintance for the first time, Evelyne...

And since that time I love you dearly.

Every time I have to remember that walk,

that we took together and during which

you've entrusted me with your sad life.

Since you keep refusing to come

to me, I've decided to visit you

today again for the last time,

but then this is definately

the last turn, for I urgently

need to go to Norway...

"By the way!... Do you know,

when your friend Jacques Foucher

leaves for "his" Norway?"

The tea-hour.

Jacques and his friend, Angel, a poet

with very frivolous notions, but apart

from that, a noble and fine young man.

"Would you perhaps let us hear

some of your poems, madam...

You recite so excellently."

The poem.

"A thousand apologies... an urgent

conference at city hall... see

you next time... and safe journey!"

"I thank you... but you should

say see you SOON, because I

have foregone my journey."

"Haven't I said, that

he wouldn't leave?"

"Why I don't go forth?... Well,

that is very simple... because

I cannot live without you!"

"Your visits are highly disagreeable

to me... that has to stop...

Have you understood me?"

"I'd now like to go say goodbye

briefly to Mrs. Landry, at least if

you see nothing unpermissible in it..."

"Your husband has understood everything,

Evelyne, I cannot visit you anymore...

we will never see each other again...

or you should consent to run away with me..."

"The healthy outdoor air

shall do Evelyne well, and

calm her nerves completely!"

"...Until tonight I shall wait

for you...so until tonight...

or else everything ends!"

"It must end... tonight we leave

for Lyon... and that is agreed...!"

And that evening, when

the Lyon train departed...

Evelyne.

Third part.

Now separated from her husband it

however reaches Evelyne, that it

isn't everything living by the side

of a merry man like Jacques Foucher...

Because the taste of Jacques

has changed entirely.

And while he surrenders entirely to

his passion for the game, he worries

little for Evelyne, who finds little

comfort with his dubious friends...

Miss Louli, who played a modest

part in the previous revue.

The frivolous life style of

Jacques formed a sharp contrast

to the modesty of Evelyne.

"Oh, I'd almost forget... I'm having

a cozy evening... do me the pleasure

and come too... the more the merrier."

Evelyne feigned a headache.

Mrs., Your little George speaks often

about you... He would so greatly hug

you again. Your affectionate Julie.

That same evening, during the supper,

that Jacques offers his friends...

Angel notices to his deep sadness

the wounds which his friend Jacques

inflicts upon the pitiable Evelyne

with his unworthy behaviour.

"What are you always thinking of?"

"I think of a young man, that

could have become a famour artist,

but his lust for wealth and amusement

have made him deeply unhappy."

And in the small town a hardworking

and deeply sad business man had returned...

The disastrous consequences

did not stay away...

"Whose child is that?"

A clean breast of it.

Evelyne.

Fourth part.

Jacques has left, while Angel

has died a few months before.

To escape the torturing loneliness,

Evelyne has become an artist

and now leads an honest

and labouring existance.

Before his death Angel had

written a play, in which Evelyne

was to fill the lead,

while there was also a small

part in it for the boy,

that rehearsed with Evelyne.

And in the small, "monotonous" town...

"Do you have a mother?"

How surprisingly beautiful she

would now find everything, that

she had once so disdained...

Evelyne Lemaistre

in CHILD-KING

And on a certain evening...

"It's up to you, what to do, my

dear friend, but I thought, you knew,

that Evelyne is the "friend" of

Angel, the writer of her plays..."

"But I've seen them

together myself just now!"

Later...

Program. The secret of the king's

child by Mr. Angel. The talented

author, Mister Angel, died

around six months ago in the

bloom of his life. He sadly could

not reap the rewards of his work.

Complicity!

The surprise.

By Evelyne's tears streams a

genuine forgiveness. She had learned

the hard way, well, she was going

to take care, that her husband and

her dear child would from now on

lead an overhappy life with her.

The end