Many shed
tears over her misfortune. All forgive her, feel sorry for
her, and know that she is not to blame.
The most severe old woman in the most expensive box would put her
arms around Marguerite's neck and tell her not to fret. ----
How does that old lady act if on the way to her carriage she
finds the sidewalk obstructed by some unfortunate creature who
has Marguerite's sorrows without Marguerite's good clothes? Does
she not say that it is an outrage for the police to allow such
things?
Possibly she will observe that in the opera Marguerite has not a
fair chance.
Faust has such beautiful silk tights, one leg striped and the
other leg covered with spangles; and, besides, he has a devil to
bring a box of jewels to tempt Marguerite.
But we should like to tell the conservative old lady that the
erring housemaid whom she may have judged so severely had greater
temptation and a better excuse than did Marguerite, even though
she could not get her voice up quite so high.
Mephistopheles is just as busy with housemaids and poor,
overworked shopgirls as with any Marguerite that ever lived. And
his work is made easier by long hours, dull routine and hopeless
future.
It is strange and sad that moral women find it so easy to
sympathize with the Marguerite whose sins and life end in the
beautiful "Anges purs, anges radieux" aria written by Gounod, and
not with the Marguerite who ends in the hospital, the morgue and
the Potter's Field.
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