The Dream Dance

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Young Leon shows great talent as an artist, and is sent to Paris by his parents, the Duke and Duchess Cazenave. The art master sees in Leon a painter of great promise, and advises him to paint landscapes in the Pyrenees. There Leon paints a portrait of Mignon, a little Gascon maid. He falls in love with her, and they are secretly married. Leon sends his painting to the Salon des Arts in Paris, and leaves Mignon to attend the exhibition, but promises to return. He swears her to secrecy regarding their marriage. Leon's painting wins first prize at the exhibition. His fellow students decide to celebrate and lead him to the Moulin Rouge, where he meets Pepita, a dancer. He falls in love with her, and forgets Mignon. Pepita soon has him completely under her spell and he paints a life-size portrait of her. Meanwhile a son is born to Mignon. Her father returns from service in Algeria, and when she refuses to divulge the name of the child's father, tells her to go to Paris, and not to return without her husband. Mignon leaves and finds Leon in Paris with Pepita, and in her innocence believes him when he tells her to go back home, and that he will follow in a few days. Back in the Gascon home Mignon's father softens when he gazes at her child and receives her kindly. Pepita, by her extravagance, soon has Leon in debt. The duke learns of his infatuation and threatens to disinherit him if he does not renounce Pepita. Leon refuses to do so and his father leaves in a rage. The months pass by. Leon is finally ejected from his apartments and all his effects are seized, with the exception of the picture of Pepita, which he hides. When Pepita realizes that Leon can no longer give her luxury, she spurns him. Pepita soon has another admirer, the Count de Lorme. One night Leon again visits the Moulin Rouge. His former friends now ignore him, and he ruefully thinks of the past. A waiter shows the Count de Lorme to the same table. When Pepita comes out on the stage to dance, she sees the Count and Leon. Not fully understanding Leon's look, she tosses a rose to the Count. He raises it to his lips; Leon, seizing the rose from the Count's hand, dashes it to the floor, and slaps the Count across the face. Instantly the place is in an uproar, and Leon is ejected. Pepita also suffers for her past actions; the manager discharges her and the Count refuses to have anything else to do with her. A few months later, Leon is very ill. His landlord comes to collect the rent, and is alarmed at Leon's condition. Leon tells him of the story of his downfall, and rises to curse the picture of Pepita. He falls back weakly, and the landlord goes out to get some wine for him. Leon has a wonderful dream. The picture of Pepita comes to life, and lures him on in a wild vampire dance. Finally, as he is about to clasp her in his arms, she darts back into the frame. Leon is sitting motionless in his chair. There is a knock at the door. A little child sticks his head in. Behind him is the ever-faithful Mignon, who has again come to seek her husband. They try to awaken Leon, and discover that he is dead.