Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1854-12-15
EVENING STAR.
A ROMANTIC STORY OF LOVE

a ROMANTIC STORY OF LOVE.
During the summer, there has residef
IN Paris stranger of distinction, a,
Italian count of noble fame and large for
tune, whose late adventures have create
quite noise In society, and whose ad
vent in fashionable faubourgs will un
doubtedly create unmitigated remark
Blessed with passion for music, be ba,
appeared at every performance of oper,
during the late season; as much, I sun
pose, to crafty his taste as to dispel tn,
ennua which the want of other amuse
ment would have produced. At his frs
attendance, the count, while seated in hi,
stale dOrchestre, amused himself durine
the entr 'aetes by attentively regarding
the assembly in which he found himself
And he finally distinguished, in a con.
lspicuous loge, young and very prett,
fwoman3 whose toilette and appearance,
fwere faultless. Wishing to ascertain
something concerning her, he addressed
himself to his neighbors, but his neigh,
bors being entirely of the summer order
of opera attendants, were unacouainted
with the grand world, and could not
satisfy his inquiries. By dint of indus
try and judicious bribery, he was enabled
to learn during the evening, that the loge
was hired by three different persons for
the three representation nights of each
week, and they severally occupied it in
their turn. This was Monday: Mon.
days, the ouvreuse informed him it be-
longed to Madame de Cerny. This,
then, was the name Of his inamorata a.
Charmed by her grace and manner, the
ardent Italian lorgnetted her during the
whole performance, and the next day
ascertained that Madame de Cerny was
a lady of noble family and large fortune,
and that her character was free from re-
proach, and her reputation spotless. She
appeared at the opera neither Wednesdays
nor Fridays-for they were not her
nights-but every Monday the count was
permitted to gaze at and admire her. His
regards and expressive contemplation
were not long unnoticsd by their object,
and, without absolutely replying to them,
she yet managed to show him that his
conduct neither angered nor annoyed her.
In despair of an acquaintance, he had de-
termined to follow her from the theatre,
but Madame de Cerny escaped him bv
an adroit manure. Evidently she did
not wish to be followed, and, in fact, she
declared it frankly the following Sunday,
when the count, discovering her in the
garden of the Tuilleries, seated himself
by her, and through an ingenious pre-
tence, took occasion to politely address her.
A man of wit and good taste can al
ways succeed in cases Of this kind in
making himself acceptable; he was list
ened to attentively, but permission to
present himself at the house of his
adcred one was resolutely refused him.
The young lady had private reasons,
which, at later period, she might, Der.
haps, explain. She informed him mod
estly that he was in error regarding her;
she was not Madame de Cerny, and she
persisted in keeping him in ignorance of
her real address, for the private reasons
before alluded to. The count was charmed
by her simplicity, her modesty, and her
refinement !; and after further interviews
with her, finding himself completely en-
chained, he abruptly offered his hand and
fortune, and was abruptly accepted.
They Immediately proceeded with the
nuptial celebrations, and at their com. ..
pletion they departed for the counts es-
tate in Italy, as loving couple as ex-
listed in all Europe. But when the true
Madame de Cerny returned to Paris, and
had informed herself of everything that
had transpired in her absence, and dis
covered that through her kindness to her
mantua-maker in allowing her the free
use of her box at the opera one evening
during every week of the summer sea
son; and when she further learned that
the count was young, handsome, and
wealthy, she was overwhelmed with
envy, and bitterly regretted that in place
Of listening to hackneyed compliments
in Germany she had not remained in
Paris to have occupied her box herself,
not doubling in the least her entire abil-
ity to have captured the glittering prize
of which the pretty milliner SO success
fully deprived her. Her spite manifested
itself in an epistolary incident, which has S
been divulged to the world, much to the
amusement ofscandal-mongers, and great
ly to the delight of that prince of feuille-
tonists, M. Guinot, from whom take it /:
Madame la Comtesse-I send you
the price of four hats and two bonnets
that you have made for me and kindly
forwarded to my address in the country,
since the settlement of our previous ac-
count. l have not been entirely suited
with the lace hat; the front was too
large, and not sufficiently expanded.
The cap trimmed with gimp was equally
unfortunate. Nevertheless I do not de.
sire to abate the price agreed upon be.
tween us. Be kind enough to send me
your receipt for the money which you
will find inclosed. The faults which ]
have mentioned do not prevent me from
always considering you highly skillful
workwoman, and [ preserve a faithful
remembrance of the pains you have in
variably taken to please me. If ysu re.
sumo the business which latterly you
have interrupted, as 1 am informed, bt
assured, Madame la Comtesse, will re-