Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-03-06
EVENING STAR.
THE MONOMANIAC.
Translated from the German. I

love Win hlm. IL Is seldom you see so much b
grace and nobleness united to wit and learn
| ing. The Emperor wishes TO marry and at
tach him to the Court
Il have only had glimpse of him. He
has many personal advantages, but
Don't make hasty application Of your
| system to him -
| my judgments are founded only on obser-
vation, and as yet L have not examined him
with sufficient attention to be very positive;
but handsome exterior is not always indica-
tive of good and eminent qualities"
| As for him 1 give him up to your closest
scrutiny. Analyze his features feel what
| you call his osseous protuberances, and am
| quite sure you will think with me, that Iof.
tier soul was never enshrined in a more beau
| tiful body"
perhaps So"
| This conversation took place at magnifi-
| cent ball given at Vienna, by Prince Meter
mich. There were assembled all the person
ages Of the Austrian Court most distinguished
| for yank and fortune; all the ambassadors of
the European powers; all the high officers of
the crown, covered with rich embroideries
and orders; a crowd of charming women,
young, eleg ant, and graceful. sparkling with
diamonds, and dressed with the greatest
! splendor. Amidst ell these noble persons, the
Princes de Corphony, through whom Meter
| Mich hoped to gain Alexander particular
friendship and good will, was very conspicu-
Gus; but young Count de Reinburg, whose
brilliant exterior, high rank, and amiable
qualities had, in so short time, made him a
universal favOrite with the fashionable socie-
4 ty Of Vienna, attracted even more attention
and remark than the Princess The Count
had left his fine Bohemian estate, and ap-
| peared for the first time at Francis's court to
| whom he came TO render homage as his SOW.
ereign. Metternich had already marked him
| as his own.
| The first Of the speakers was man of about
forty, whose person, though effeminate, was
very prepossessing. He had an expanded
| forehead, well-shaped nose, large blue eyes
and an agreeable mouth, around which an
enchanting smile always played at command
| His manner was winning, and put you at your
ease in minute. Perfectly self possessed on
all occasions, he knew how to mingle in the
designations and follies of the great, but al
ways with the determination of profting by
them The second, although more than ffty
years of age, had all the vigor and boldness
of youth His forehead, already bald, was
| high and open; his manly features announced
habits of deep thought and decision This
was the celebrated Dir. Gall, the ilIustrious
| physiOlogist his interlOcutor was Prince Met
ternich, Prime Minister to the Emperor IF
| Austria.
According to his custom, the Prince had
| retired, In the middle of the fete, into the
| solitude OF his closet, in order TO despatch
some business. Gall remaining alone, aud
struck with the warm Partially displayed
not only by Metternich, but the whole court
for the young Count, was determined to watch
him closely during the whole evening
| As the Count de Reinburg was FINISHING
minuet which he danced with the beautiful
Princess de Schwinetz, and, during which.
| every one had crowded around to admire his
easy, graceful and elegant manners the
Prince, who had returned to the saloon. and
stood behind DIR. Gall, tapped him lightly on
the shoulder:
"Well," said he, shave you scrutinized
him narrowly Are you not now convinced
that the Count is paragon of perfection 20
Gall drew the Prince aside, without reply,
and, when they were out Of the circle:
Your paragon, Prince" exclaimed he /" is
a monster ga
by St. Mary Doctor, " rejoined the Prince,
with a smile, you cannot be serious or your
system must be false"
You are incredulous-but wait: time will
show which of US right"
Some years after this, a horrible and IN.
parallelled crime spread dismay throughout
Germany. The criminal was sentenced to be
degraded from all bis titles and dignities, and
afterwards to be beheaded. The sentence
was put into execution.
1t was the brilliant Count de Reinburg,
Metternich, and in which he had figured so
cOnspicuously, the young nobleman had mar
ried the heiress of one of the richest and
most illustriOus families of HuA gary. Young
and charming, she had but Just made her
appearance at Court, when the Emperor dis.
posed of her hand with her free consent, il
is true, for she had not been able TO behold
the Count, without feeling for him the prefer
ence which all other women gave him. I'M
nediately after his marriage, the Count re.
tired to distant estate, wishing, as he said |
b enjoy, without constraint, his newly found
happiness. The first three years were happy
ones; the birth of two children still increased |
their felicity. |
The Count lived in the closest seclusion, |
visiting neither relations nor friends nor per- |
mlttlng any one to enter the castle. His wife,
without having any open ground of complaint, |
found him cold, reserved and severe; a gloomy /
frOwn frequently settled upon his features. |
Although he never spoke harsh word TO, or /
struck one of his vassals, they always retired /
from, or trembled at his appearance. He had /
but one pleasure, which was the chase. In |
all seasons of the year, he gave himself up to /
it with equal and indefatigable ardor. The 4
deer was his favorite object of pursuit He /
was extremely dissatisfied when the animal /
was killed outright, and wished only to have
it crippled; his delight then was to satiate /
himself with the sight Of its agonies, az it was |
torn In pieces by the hounds. When the /
struggle was protracted, and the death-rattle |
loud and prolonged, a singular smile animated /
his features, and he was cheerful for the re- |
mainder OF the day. If the hunt had afford |
ed him no qualification of this kind, he made |
bis dogs fight, and allowed no interference till |
one was disabled If they tried to run away,
he pitilessly killed them with his own hand
These eccentricities, however, did not seem
more strange than those of many other Hun
garan mobiles, who resided on their estates,
and kept aloof from the court. The Count,
moreover, was very liberal. and even profuse,
to all who approached him.
During the last two or three months, he had
attached a surgeon to his establishment, be-
cause he was determined that for the future, y
no stranger should come near the castle. The
surgeon was largely paid, and had no other
duty than 10 attend to the health Of the in
habitants of the manor, but he had been en-
joined by the Count to have as little inter
course as possible with any other persons;
and, particularly, to observe profound secre.
sY as 70 all circumstances hnUayer nnimnor |