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- Marguerite Gautier, a poor but beautiful country girl, who, a few years before she became the rage in Paris, did not know how to write her own name, first met Armand Duval at the theater. This is the opening scene of this wonderfully beautiful and interesting film d'art. Marguerite in her box, beautiful as a dream, and Armand standing looking at her transfixed with admiration. After obtaining an introduction to his divinity. Armand becomes a constant visitor at her home. One night, at a little dinner given by Marguerite to her friend, Prudence Duvernoy, a well-known milliner, and at which were present her devoted admirer. Armand and one or two other congenial spirits, Marguerite was taken with a desperate spell of coughing. Symptoms of the dread disease she had inherited from her beautiful mother bad already made their appearance. Her faithful maids, rushing to the aid of their mistress, carried her to a couch in a nearby room, where Armand follows and imprints a kiss on the girl's hand, receiving as a reward a smile and one of her favorite flowers, a camellia. This was the first sign that Marguerite, the much-sought-after beauty, gave that she was beginning to care for the poorest, but handsomest, of her many lovers. Up to the time of Marguerite's meeting with Armand, the rich and influential Duke de Linieres had been her devoted admirer. She had met the duke at a health resort, where the latter had come with his daughter, who suffered from lung trouble as did Marguerite. The duke's daughter died just before Marguerite's arrival, and when he met the latter in the corridor of the hotel, she reminded him so forcibly of his child, that he took a great fancy to her, and hated to have her out of his sight. Although Armand knew of this friendship between the rich nobleman and the girl, he did not despair of supplanting the former in Marguerite's affections. He succeeded in this, and at Marguerite's own suggestion, for she had now become very much attached to Armand. They left Paris for the country, where we see them rowing on the river or strolling hand-in-hand, happy as two children. Marguerite describes these days in her diary, which Armand permitted Dumas to read, as the happiest days of her life. But, like all happy days, they were of short duration. One afternoon, the greater part of which Armand and Marguerite had spent together on the river, we see the girl jumping out of the boat which her lover takes further up to moor. As she walks slowly along she is stopped by one of her maids who hands her a letter, which she opens with fear at her heart and almost swoons away when she reads a message from Armand's father, begging her to discontinue her friendship with his son, not only for the boy's sake but for that of his sister who is soon to marry. The maid tells Marguerite that the gentleman is awaiting her at the house, and pushing the maid aside she hurries along to get the dreaded ordeal over. The old man is at first inclined to be a little imperious with the girl, but seeing that she truly loves his son and is willing to give him up if it is for his own good and his father wishes it. He becomes less severe and even takes Marguerite's hand as he bids her good-bye and expresses his gratitude for her unselfishness. Marguerite sets out for Paris without letting Armand know of her intention, but sends him a letter telling him that all is over between them and that he must not try to see her again, but return to his family, where he will soon learn to forget an unfortunate called Marguerite Gautier. When Armand discovers that Marguerite has flown he becomes like a madman and hurries to Paris, determined to have an interview with her and try to induce her to change her mind. He cannot find her at her house, which is closed, for Marguerite has taken up her residence with an old friend, Olympe by name, and when Armand hears this he secures an invitation to the home of his friend where a ball is to be given to some kindred spirits. On entering the drawing room the first one Armand sees is Marguerite who is gaily dancing with one of the handsomest men in the room and whom Armand recognizes as a wealthy young nobleman, who had always been a great admirer of Marguerite, but for whom she always professed a great dislike. Although Armand tries in every way to attract Marguerite's attention, for he is confident that she is conscious of his presence, she never looks in his direction or gives any sign that she knows he is in the room. Mad with jealousy and disappointment, Armand, when the guests are leaving endeavors to get a few words alone with the girl, but she repulses him and he unable to restrain his passion calls back the guests and denounces the terrified woman in their presence. All this excitement added to the sorrow she had experienced on being compelled to part with Armand had been too much for the already doomed Marguerite. Shortly after this scene she takes to her bed and many and many a weary day and night she passes, as all her gay friends have little time for her now that she is ill and unable to take part in their round of pleasure, The one thought that keeps her up in these days of suffering is that Armand, now that she is about to die, will come to see her and forgive her before she passes out of this life forever. As we see the emaciated form of the once bright and beautiful butterfly stretched out on her bed of pain, we start with horror on viewing the change that has come over the beautiful woman we saw but a short while ago seated surrounded by admirers in her box at the theater. Nanine, her faithful maid, enters just at this juncture and from her expression her mistress knows she is the bearer of joyful news. And so it is. Armand has finally arrived. On hearing the news Marguerite leaps from her bed and throwing her gown about her is in a moment clasped tightly in the arms of the only man she ever loved. But the joy had been too much for the poor, weakened frame. A terrible fit of coughing comes on and Marguerite Gautier, barely twenty-one years of age, but who has seen so much of life in this short time, passes away in the arms of one, who, had fate only brought him in her path a little sooner, might have made of her a different woman.
- King Lear decides to divide his kingdom amongst his three daughters. The oldest two daughters fawn insincerely over their father, and get most of his possessions. The youngest daughter, Cordelia, is much less lavish in her displays of affection, and disappoints her father. But events soon lead the old king to find out how each of his daughters really feels about him.
- With a friend desperate for money, a merchant takes out a loan from a ruthless money-lender. Confident that his ships will soon be bringing him great wealth, the merchant willingly agrees to conditions of the loan that put him at great personal risk.
- In a fit of growing madness, Emperor Caligula decides to capture a group of devout Christians and feed them to the lions. Young Egle catches the Emperor's attention and he bids her become his wife.
- Romeo, of the House of Capulets, and Juliet, of the House of Montagues, scorn the family feud of years, and love each other with all the fervor of Veronian youths. The ardent wooer sings his love beneath his lady's window while the stars wink their approval of the lovers' happiness. Juliet's father urges her marriage to Tybalt, a man of his choosing, but Romeo determines she shall not, so together they visit the venerable Friar Lawrence and are secretly united in marriage. Romeo is challenged by his rival, Tybalt, and in the encounter wounds his antagonist, for which he is exiled. Romeo's departure leaves Juliet open to the demands of her father, who insists upon her immediate marriage to Tybalt. In terror she flees to the old Friar, who gives her a powerful sleeping potion, and on the day she is to marry Tybalt, her friends are horrified to see her fall into a deathlike swoon. She is interred in the vault of her ancestors, and Romeo, hearing of her death, returns home, enters the vault and after gazing upon the face of his beloved plunges a dagger into his heart. Juliet awakens to see him expiring, and in her agony seizes the same dagger, inflicts a death-wound, and expires beside her lover.
- Romulus, the founder of Rome, and his compatriots are entertaining the daughters of their neighbors, the Sabines, at a feast when at a given signal the Sabine women are made prisoners. Ersilia, the daughter of the Sabine king, falls in love with Romulus and man of the others marry the Roman warriors. Ersilia's father makes an attack on Romulus and is killed by him. The Sabines decide to avenge the death of their ruler and are assisted by a Roman girl, daughter of the custodian of the citadel. She poisons the sentries and leads the Sabines into the city, where they attack the Romans. The Sabine maidens, however, seeing their fathers and brothers fighting with their husbands, interfere and stop the battle and join the hands of the two bands of enemies in friendship. The real scenes where the events actually took place are given, for the film was made in Rome amidst the most beautiful natural scenery.
- The Moorish general Othello is manipulated into thinking that his new wife Desdemona has been carrying on an affair with his lieutenant Michael Cassio when in reality it is all part of the scheme of a bitter ensign named Iago.
- This picturesque narrative of Spain, from the magic pen of the brilliant writer, Posper Merimee, and set to music by the immortal Bizet, is the subject now presented in film d'art form. Madame Lepanto as Carmen, typifies the description of the Spanish girl. Don Jose Navarro, a Basque, and a Christian of the ancient type, had enlisted in the cavalry regiment of Almanza and was on duty at the tobacco factory in Seville where four or five hundred girls were employed in rolling cigars. As the bell rings for the girls to return to their work the young men watch them as they pass. One, a handsome, merry-looking girl, the beauty of the place and known to all as "La Carmencita," struts by the line of admiring men. Don Jose being a quiet sort of fellow, is not much attracted at first by the saucy-looking beauty, who, not accustomed to being ignored, asked Navarro to give her the chain he is fashioning out of some brass wire. Navarro replied that he could not, as he was making it for a certain purpose, whereupon she took the flower from her month and struck him in the face with it, much to the amusement of all the others. As Carmen passed on. Navarro, when no one was looking, stooped and picked up the flower and put it in his pocket. Two or three hours after this incident a porter rushed into the guard house saying that one of the factory girls had been murdered. With several of his comrades Don Jose hurried to the factory, where he beheld a wounded woman lying on the floor and recognized Carmen in the grasp of five or six of her companions. When the wounded girl beheld the soldiers, she accused Carmen, who stood with a defiant expression on her face. Don Jose's duty was plain: he must arrest the girl. So taking her gently by the arm (she being a woman) he bound her hands behind her and placed her under arrest. The wily gypsy asked her for her mantilla and then started off with Don Jose. On the way she turned and asked him in a childlike tone where he was taking her, Don Jose, determined to do his duty, answered that he was taking her to prison. Upon which she begged and pleaded with him to have mercy. Soon, therefore, when they come to a narrow lane, with one throat of her tiny hand she gives Don Jose a push, and he obligingly falls back and his prisoner hopping over his prostrate body regains her liberty. Navarro is compelled to return to the guard house without succeeding in locating her, and consequently is reduced to the ranks and imprisoned for a month. While he is in prison his keeper comes to him one day with a loaf of bread, which he said was sent him by his cousin. Navarro knows very well that he has no cousin in Seville and immediately suspects that Carmen is responsible for the loaf of bread. As he attempts to cut it his knife strikes something hard and he finds that a small English file has been placed in the dough before it was baked. He also finds two pastries with which Carmen evidently intended him to purchase a civilian's coat, and also a note from Carmen telling him to meet her at Lillas Pastia's. Thanks to the gypsy girl's thoughtfulness, Navarro escapes and finds his love waiting for him at the old gypsy eating house. Well, the end of it all is that Carmen has decided to persuade Navarro to join a band of smugglers. At first he would not listen to it, but finally out of love for the girl he consented. For his devotion, however, the fickle beauty repays him by flirting with other admirers, thus making Don Jose most unhappy. She had at this time become acquainted with a very handsome and skillful picador named Lucas. One day one of his comrades told him that he saw Carmen in a shop with Lucas and Navarro became inflamed and questioned the girl, who confessed her love for the picador, at the same time tearing off her finger a ring Don Jose had given her. The latter, unable any longer to control his rage, strikes her a deadly blow with his knife and then remains with arm uplifted as if turned to stone as he gazes down on the huddled up little figure of the woman he had so passionately loved.
- Driven by his own ambition and by that of Tullia, his stepsister, Tarquin decides to usurp the throne of his stepfather, Servius Tullius, the good old King of Rome. To this end, he solicits and obtains the support of the patrician senators and has the monarch assassinated. Happy to hear the news, Tullia rushes into the regicide's arms, determined to marry him...
- Charles is bidding his wife an affectionate good-bye preparatory to setting out for a short bicycle run. The moment his back is turned Percy calls, but the unexpected return of the husband obliges the lady to hide her visitor in the cupboard. Charles soon goes out again and the prisoner is released. Catching up a white stocking to wipe the perspiration from his brow, he stuffs it in his pocket and takes his departure for the nearest café to get a bracer. There he meets Charles and another friend. To this latter he recounts his adventure and both laugh heartily at the joke. However, Percy is not to get off scot free, for on his return home his wife finds the stocking and naturally gives him a piece of her mind. Percy thereupon sits down and writes a note to his friend, asking him to get him out of the scrape, and the friend shows the letter to Charles, who volunteers to do the trick for him. Charles accordingly calls upon Mrs. Percy with one bare leg and narrates a story about her husband having removed the stocking in the spirit of mischief. Mrs. Percy calls attention to the fact that his other stocking is black and Charles, picking up the white hosiery to examine it, is horrified to find that it belongs to his wife.
- About the daughter of the Borgia, a noble medieval house. From her numerous and unhappy weddings, to the forced monacation, to the will of her family.
- This is a story of a man who, to win the girl whom he loved, was willing to become a soldier and thus in the course of duty became a hero. Arturo Remenyi is in love with Petrina Baldeni, the daughter of a distinguished general, and sister of his friend Baldeni, but the old general does not approve of his suit. Imbued as he is with the traditions of the army, he fails to see that there can be any career equally honorable, and so he informs Arturo that he wishes his daughter to marry a soldier only. War breaks out in Tripoli, and Lieut. Baldeni is ordered to the front. Going to Arturo he tells him the news and suggests that now is the time for him to go to the front, and thus win Petrina. No sooner is the suggestion made than Arturo acts upon it. He at once enlists as a private, and is ordered to Tripoli, where he has the good fortune to serve in the company of his friend. The regiment at once gets into action and in a short time is the focus of a hot fire from the enemy. A charge is ordered and soon the Arabs are flying in utter rout. Lieut. Baldeni is severely wounded, and is about to be dispatched by an Arab when Arturo throws himself between the two and receives on his own head the blow intended for his friend. For this gallant deed he is decorated by the commanding general. Later he returns to Italy heralded by the press as a hero, but disfigured for life by a huge scar. Writing Petrina he tells her that he is disfigured and so begs her to forget him. But she answers that the most terrible scar cannot disfigure a hero and that she awaits him.
- This is the beautiful story of Francesca di Rimini, which is known the world over for the charm of its heroine. Paul falls deeply in love with Francesca, to whom he has been sent by his brother, Lancietto, to propose for him. After her acceptance of the proposal she is accompanied by Paul to her future husband. Paul cannot keep away from the object of his affections, and during the voyage their friendship deepens and ripens into an all-absorbing passion. On the trip there is also a court fool, who, while disporting himself for the amusement of others, is really plotting dark deeds. When the twain arrive at Rimini Francesca cannot repress a shudder of horror at the sight of her betrothed, nevertheless, they are married, and Paul, in order to stifle his love, begs of his brother to be sent on a mission, to which his brother consents. Lancietto's fool, however, has a grudge against his master, and in order to be revenged upon him, and knowing the love that Paul bears to Francesca follows Paul and persuades him to return. This Paul does, and unable to withstand the beauty of Francesca, makes love to her. The perfidious fool now tells Lancietto of his wife's inconstancy, and the latter enters the apartment where they are together and pierces them both with one stroke of his sword.
- Joachim Napoleon Murat, the son of a laborer, who rose to be a powerful aid to Napoleon Bonaparte, and who married Bonaparte's sister, Caroline, was created King of Naples. He was regarded as a usurper by many of the Neapolitans. A meeting of conspirators is taking place in a church. Lots are drawn for the man who is to make an attempt upon the life of Murat, and the die falls upon Perugini, a florist. Anna, Perugini's daughter, is accosted by young bloods and roughly handled. A passing man protects her. This man is Murat, walking incognito through the city. Perugini makes his attempt upon Murat. Murat defends himself, and the florist. is arrested. Anna recognizes in Murat her protector. She is stricken with grief at the thought of her father's fate, and she goes to Murat to ask for pardon for her father. Murat is easily induced to grant the pardon. Captain Renzi is commanded to carry it to the prisoner's inquisitors, and Anna accompanies him. Perugini shows scornful indifference, until he learns that it is due to his daughter's intervention with Murat. Then he passionately denounces her as unworthy of his fatherhood. Anna, thus repudiated, is glad to accept the consolation of Captain Renzi, who counsels her to enter the service of Queen Caroline. She is brought before the Queen, and is made waiting maid. Anna faithfully performs her duties, but she makes a hero of Murat. Murat shows her some favor. Captain Renzi warns the Queen anonymously, and Murat, to dissipate the Queen's distrust, affiances Anna to Renzi. Anna, to escape from the union, returns home, deciding to brave her father's anger. Again she is turned away, but her return has disclosed to her a new plot against the King. The day her father makes a second attempt to thrust a knife into Murat's breast, she flings herself between him and his victim, and receives in her own bosom the death wound. She dies bravely with Murat's kiss of gratitude upon her lips.
- Agesilao Greco interprets a painter who falls in love with a countess but is forced to retire when she has to marry the banker who otherwise threatens to bring the indebted family to the ruin. Passing the fenced gardens and the conventional parlors, we finally get to the armory room, where rivals in love are challenging to blade, in a underhand and cruel game of slaughter.
- In love, although a Cardinal, with the same girl, the beautiful Sancia, as his brother John. Duke of Gandia, Caesar did not hesitate, after an entertainment at the Vatican, to hire bravi, and to have this brother foully done to death, and to be afterwards thrown into the Tiber. For a time the disappearance of John Borgia remained clothed in mystery, but the waters of the river gave up their dead in the very heart of Rome, almost within a stone's throw of the Papal Palace. John's mutilated remains are brought into his father's presence, and Sancia denounces the all-powerful Ceasar as the author of the crime. But if Alexander VI. was at times a powerful ruler, his weakness with his children was complete, and he feared Cesar and also Lucretia, his notorious daughter. Sancia. determined to avenge her lover's death, plans the murderer's undoing. She sends him the following anonymous note:-" A lady who admires and secretly loves Cesar will await him to-night in the Avenue of the Graces." Cesar has his suspicions aroused, yet his fondness for mysterious adventures induces him to cast prudence aside, and, going to the appointment, he falls into the trap laid for him. Thrown into a cell and chained to the wall, he manages to attack his jailer, to overpower the man, and to escape.