Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-02-27
COR g EON.
A sketch from the French of Edmund About


H.
Pauline waited four months for tidings of her
husband, in vain They searched for him
everywhere-even in the river. The public
regretted him, and his wife wept sincerely for
his loss, for she had never ceased to love him
She closed her door to every one, sent back the
marquiss bracelet and refused all cOnsOla-
tions--tearing her hair and exclaiming, 81
have killed my poor dear Gorgeoni''
Near the end of September q rumor spread
that GorgeOn, instead of being dead, was coin
ing fame and money in Russia.
Eight days after, an anonymous friend mo
other than NJ. de Gaudry) sent her the follow
ing slip from the ST. Petersburg Journal:
The 9th QSth) of September. the celebrated
Gorgeon, the rival of Alcide Tousez. made his
dSbut at the theatre Michael, before the i'm
perial court and brilliant audience in La
Sour de JOcrisse.' His success was complete
and he was enthusiastically applauded. Cor
geon is engaged for the season ut four thousand
silver rOubles 10000 francs" DC.
Pauline wept no more. She entered the list
of fOrsaken wives, and all Paris sympathizsd
with her, and invented a hundred stories of
GorgeOn cruelty-such as leaving her without
cause, without resources, without a home
while, in truth, he left her every cent he had
and all his furniture and jewels, and she drew
hye hundred francs Il month from the theatre
beside
Her misfortune inspired her former admirers
Of the orchestra box IN. de Gaudry especially
with renewed devotion, of course, but she per-
mitted no patent leather boots to bring their
eondolers to her domicile Shutting herself ~
with a cousin, she broOded over futile plans
and contradictory resolutions. Sometimes she
determined to go to st. Petersburg, and throw
herself into her husbands arms; at others she
felt it would be more just and conjugal to
scratch his eyes out. Then she resolved to re-
main at Paris, and edify the world by widow
hOlH prh Inh a har IL. ID
nelope of the Palais Royal, and so forth, at ,n-
fHifnm.
GOrgeon, a short time after his drbut in Rus
sis, wrote her a letter full of tenderness and
eontrition. His anger had cooled, his rivals
were no longer before his eyes, and he pardoned
and asked pardon. More: he asked his wife to
join him; he had found her an engagement
But, unfortunately, this letter arrived at the
crisis OF an indignation parOx ysm, and Pauline
threw II In the fire without opening it. Cor
geon, obtaining no answer, was again rufied
and wrote no more
In November, Pauline, her resentment still
carefully famed by her friends was one morn
ing dressing herself before the glass, for a re-
hearsal. Her cousin had gone to market
leaving the key in the door, and the comedienne
was unrolling the last curl paper, when she
perceived in the mirror a small, extremely
ugly man, enveloped in a fur cloak, standing
in the doorway, and with a scream of terror
she turned round '' Who are what do you
want go out. sir You can't enter here
Marie" cried she, the words following each
other so rapidly that they seemed to fall in
stream from her lips.
Il am not in love with you-you do not please
me," replied the little man, with visible embar-
rassment.
Love Is it who love you, then go out
OF my chamber, sir"
= am rot in love with you, madam-you do
not P"
Madman," shrieked Pauline. Leave me.
or l shall call for add will call robbers Il
Will throw myself out of the window"
Forgive me, madam said the little man.
In supplIcatlng voice, and joining his hands;
have travelled seven hundred leagues to
make you proposition. L have this moment
arrived from st. Petersburg, and, speaking
French very poorly, L had prepared what |
wished 70 say to you beforehand; but you have
so intimidated me, that =
He sat down and wiped his brow with a cost
ly embroidered handkerchief, while Pauline
seized the moment to throw a shawl over her
shoulders.
g Madam" resumed the stranger, ii am not
In /, excuse me, and don't get angry again
mean, your husband has played me an ipfa-
nous trick. lam the Prince Vaslikof: have
an income of a million, but never having served
IN the army, an placed in the fourteenth class
of nobility"
That is nothing to me, sir"
Il know; but have prepared what have
to say To you, and-I go on. am as you see
no beauty, and have, besides, slight nervous
disorder, which has been somewhat a subject
Tor wit In society. This, however, has not pre-
vented my loving charming lady, demanding
her In marriage, and being accepted by her
parents, ION account Of my fortune;) which
marriage was ON the point of consummation
when your husband had the Internal idea of
c.ricaturing me on the stage, and amusing the
whole city at my expense. After the FIRST rep
resentatiOn, Vava her name is Vava) dismissed
my suit; after the second, she engaged herself
to little Finnish colonel, without a hundred
thousand francs In the world Therefore, am
resolved to be reyenged en- GOrgeon, and if
you will assist me, I'll make your fortune. /
am not in love with you, in spite Of your beauty,
and the propositions | am about TO make You
are perfectly honorable, although they may ap-
pear rather extraordinary Thus, in brief; if
you will leave here, instanter, for st. Peters
burg IN an excellent travelling carriage, you
will lind Place st. Michel n few steps only from
the theatre, n luxurious hotel which present
you, completely furnished and filed with SER
wants who will obey you blindly in everyt thing
You can take two lady's maids with YOU, and
two carriages will be at your orders I have
hired, at the theatre, stage box Oh the frst
tier. My steward will count TO Won each month
the sum you demand, and before ,eaying Paris
will deposit with Your banker two hundred
thousand francs to your credit. Dor not become
alarmed too soon; you are not to give me love,
friendship, or even gratitude for this; promise
never to put foot inside your abode. You viii
receive whom you please, except your husband
and come and go as you like. All / ask is-a
seat ut your side in your box at the theatre
for eight performances. Gorgeon has turned
the laugh against me; wish TO have il on my
side now
The young wife knew her husband peculiar
temperament well enough to feel how cruel
such vengeance would be to him, and what
terrible consequences might ensue.
You are nad, said she TO the prince
" There are many other ways Of Furnishing my
husband Send him to Siberia for n winter
Very difficult; am not influential enough. -
The conversation was prolonged until Marie's .
return, when Pauline obtained a week for re-
Election and decision, which she employed in
consulting her female friends, who were unani-
nous in advising her to accept; some because
they were glad to get rid of rival-others be-
cause they would rejoice at her reputation com
promised by such a scandal. They earnestly