Curtain.
The Lady of Lyons.
When Lord Lytton provided the conventional “happy ending” for “The Lady of Lyons” by reuniting Pauline, née Deschappelles, to the devoted Claude Melnotte, promoting the latter to the rank of Colonel in the French army, he seems not to have troubled his head as to the divergent social ideas of the happy pair, nor as to how the vulgar and purse-proud family of Deschappelles and the humbler Melnottes would get on together. The sequel throws a lurid light on these points. In writing it, great pains have been taken to make the blank verse, wherever possible, as bad as Lord Lytton’s.
IN THE LYONS DEN.
Scene.—The drawing-room of Claude Melnotte’s house. Pauline is sitting by the fire, Claude leaning with his back against the mantelpiece. James, a man-servant in livery, enters with a card on a salver.
Pauline.
[Reading card.] Mrs. Smith! Not at home, James.