Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-12-28
Masbingtnn gsntinsl,
From the QBelfhst) Republican Journal.
The Mystery of q Tenor.


tractiye qualities, he joined that Of being fine
musician. Endowed with delicious tenor
voice, he would have eclipssd all the singers Of
the opera, if his rank and fortune had not re-
stricted him to the place of an amateur. Sought
by society, feted, applauded in the saloons Of
fashion, he owed to his peculiar talent the most
cherished triumphs and the more gracious
compliments. He owed to his gifts the posi-
ton he held, above that of young men who are
only rich and handsome. Like them he shone
also by his, luxury and his elegance. Thirty
thousand livres year justified him in living in
q princely style, and he used his means lavish
". Nothing lacked to adorn and make plea
SAINT the success of his early years.
In the brightest sunshine of this happy Life,
at the age Of twenty-six years, M. de b. was
suddenly the victim Of o fortuitous disaster,
that lost to him all his fortune. Circumstances
that he could not foresee nor combat, made
him bankrupt
The blow was terrible, and the injury ire
parable. M. de B. found himself in an instant
precipitated from the splendors Of wealth to the
abyss of misery. But he could not resign him
self to the idea Of living poor and obscure. His
tastes and habits had made luxury necessity
with him. But how to reconquer q lost for
tune? How undertake career that would
give him, if not wealth, at least independence?
His mind, as superficial as brilliant was incapa-
BILE of application to serious things, and his
nonchalant character refused all energetic and
laborious effort. No one came to aid him in
his extremity, and he knew the. world too well
to be ignorant of the fact that in adversity in
difference and coldness are the portion of those
who have been the favorites Of society. So,
without energy to encounter severe proofs, or
confront arduous struggles, he was almost i'm
PEELED to the desperate act of destroying him
self by blowing out his brains with q pistol.
But reflection inspired him with a thought less
tragical. The news Of his disaster had hardly
been generally circulated, when NJ de B. was
already gone from Paris, without seeing any
one, enveloping his fight with the mystery the
circumstances of his case made absolutely ne
cessary. # agf.
Some time after M. de B. had left Paris, the
Of young singer, the tenor *, who had
made brilliant debut upon the stage of Scala.
*, whose name was purely Italian, required
but little to place him in the front rank of the
most celebrated artists, and to become one of
the great ornaments of Italian music. This
prediction was speedily realized. The success
of the new tenor rapidly increased Venice,
Rome, and Naples consecrated his renown. All
the capitals of Europe competed for his favors.
He honored solicitations from London, st.
Petersburg, Madrid, Berlin, Vienna, but it was
in vain that the directors Of the Theatre-Itaien
of Paris offered him magnificent engage
ment; he rejected all their proposals. Like
Jenny Lind, he condemned Paris not to hear
him. 1t was the oddity of an artist, and this
was not single instance of the eccentricity Of
the tenor. X had like obstinacy against
appearing in concerts, or singing in saloons.
More, he never showed himself in the city, re-
pulsing all advances, and stunning all society.
This roughness was attributed to that origi-
nality always inseparable from q prodigious
talent. g.3
AT the end Of ten years in his profession, the
celebrated singer declared his career termi-
mated, and definitely renounced the stage. 1t
was premature retreat; the artist was still in
all his eclat and all his power; butthey essayed
in vain to retain him. g I am rich enough"
said he, !" i have thirty thousand livres annual
income from my investments; / desire to re-
pose and enjoy my fortune" His resolution
was irrevocable, and the world Of song lost this
precious tenor, that Paris had never known.
At the same time the singer X quilted
the stage, the Partisan world beheld the reap
pearance of M. de B. There were only vague
remembrances of him. So many events, so
many adventures mark the passage Of ten years!
So many brilliant personages come to occupy
public attention, and in this interval the per,
sonnel of society undergo so many modiGca.
tions M. de B. notwithstanding, more than
any other, had title to be remembered. He
was little changed. By special favor of ma
ture, he preserved at the age of thirty-six, all
the graces of his younger age. Also souvenirs
we're revived little by little, and SO much the
more rapidly as M. de B. reappeared with his
former luxury; he was also Just as rich as
formerly. A legacy, he said, had returned to
him his fortune.
Besides these he did nothing to aid the re-
collection of those who had forgotten him he
even showed himself entirely oblivious to many
circumstances Of his former Parisian life, as,
for example, when they spoke to him Of his
talent as singer. It even gave him offence
when people would say, !" You used to sing ad-
mirab1y."
,aYou exaggerate, or else trife with me" he
would reply, with an air of pique; 4 had only
q small compass of voice, very ordinary, and
that only remained with me until quilted
Paris
Many times it occurred that in the saloons
he encountered strangers, Parisians, Italians,
English and Germans, who gazed at him with
astonishment.
at is singular" these indiscreet persons
would exclaim, thus inviting an explanation.
Ms it of me you speakr'
"Please excuse the involuntary movement
occasioned by my surprise"
If ysa will oblige me by telling the occa-
sion of it"
Have you ever seen X, the celebrated
tenor?n
No, sir; have never heard or seen him.
IF you knew him II would explain my as
constituent. You have a most remarkable re.
semblance to this celebrated artist"
Truly | am very much Aattered to learn
itn
Thousand pardons, monsieur"
Only on one single point did M. de B. show
himself very different from what he formerly
had been. He felt, or professed to feel, q pro
found contempt Of music. If in the saloon
where he found himself, one opened a piano, he
suddenly took fight. He was never seen at the
Opera Comique or the Italians. He had hor
ror Of these three theatres-the last particu
larly.
One day he met in the street a gentleman
who approached him with smile on his lips