Loti's "Madame Chrysantheme" was turned into an opera by Andre Messager.

What the opera was like I do not know.

It came, it went, and left no sign; yet it would seem to be easy to guess at the reason for its quick evanishment.

If it followed the French story, as no doubt it did, it was too faithful to the actualities of Japanese life to awaken a throb of emotion in the Occidental heart.

Without such a throb a drama is naught--a sounding brass and tinkling cymbal.