It deals with a subject sufficiently time-worn — the
struggle between passion which seeks to be free and
the prejudices, interests, and ordinances of the social
and family environment. Incidentally the point is
urged that an irregular union, however " distinguished,"
however deliberately entered upon by two advanced
" intellectuals " as a protest against orthodox marriage,
is in the long run a less convenient and on the whole
less rational arrangement than the institution against
which it is a protest. These, to be sure, are " ideas "
— there are ideas, as M. Hervieu has pointed out,
underlying every play — but La Plus Faible, for all
that, is not entitled to rank as a play of ideas. Its
ideas are merely a pretext for its story, and as the
story, in one form or another, has often been told
before, and as it is not very strikingly told now, one
need say no more about it.
Paris is seldom without a " success of scandal," and
a specimen of this disagreeable class is Le Retour de
Jerusalem, by M. Maurice Donnay. Much excellent
work stands to M. Donnay's credit in the past —
artistically excellent work, be it understood, for the
ethical quality of such plays as Amants and La
Douloureuse is quite another matter — but this Anti-
Semitic exploit of his cannot but have disappointed
and disconcerted his more judicious admirers.
