I do if it fails?"

The overture was drawing to its close. Tom looked anxiously around
the house.

"Yes," he said, "it is crowded, indeed. By the way, was not Claire
to have been here? Point her out to me."

"She was; but I cannot see her anywhere. Perhaps she is late."

"If so, I cannot see where she is to find a place. Hush! they are
ending."

As he spoke, the last strains of the orchestra died slowly and
mournfully away, and the curtain rose upon "Francesca: a Tragedy."

This play has since gained such a name, not only from its own merits
(which are considerable), but in consequence also of certain
circumstances which this story will relate, that it would be not only
tedious but unnecessary to follow its action in detail. For the
benefit, however, of those who did not see it at the Coliseum, I here
subjoin a short sketch of the plot, which the better-informed reader
may omit.

Francesca is the daughter of Sebastian, at one time Duke of Bologna,
but deposed and driven from his palace by the intrigues of his
younger brother Charles. At the time when the action begins,
Sebastian is chief of a band of brigands, the remains of his faithful
adherents, whom he has taken with him to the fastnesses of the
Apennines. Charles, who has already usurped the duchy for some
sixteen years, is travelling with his son Valentine, a youth of
twenty, near the haunt of his injured brother. Separated from their
escort, they are wandering up a pass, when Valentine stops to admire
the view, promising his father to join him at the summit. While thus
occupied, he is startled by the entrance of Francesca, and, struck
with her beauty, accosts her. She, sympathising for so noble a
youth, warns him of the banditti, and he hastens on only to find his
father lying at the foot of a precipitous rock, dead. He supposes
him to have fallen, has the body conveyed back to Bologna, and having
by this time fallen deeply in love with Francesca, prevails on her to
leave her father and come with him. She consents, and flies with
him, but after some time finds that he is deserting her for Julia,
daughter of the Duke of Ferrara. Slighted and driven to desperation,
she makes her way back to her father, is forgiven, and learns that
Charles' death was due to no accident, but to her father's hand.
No sooner is this discovery made than Valentine and Julia are brought
in by the banditti, who have surprised and captured them, but do not
know thei