Weekly Trinity journal., 1864-04-02
An Enrlishman,s revenge.

A late Partisan paper tells the story of a
wealthy Englishman, who may be constantly
seen at the grand opera and the Italian opera,
and who enjoys great reputation, not only as
being a great connoisseur of music, but further
as being great amateur of painting. How
the latter acquired you will presently see
He was one of those Bedoun Englishmen, who
live alternately in all the European capitals, ex-
cept when they are on an occasional Jaunt to
Egypt or to China, or to India, or to the Holy
Land. He never Travelled alone his wife was
with him, his bona fde wife, for notwithstanding
his Grant life, $50 apt to weaken ones morals, }
he had all the English respect for the sex, and a
true Englishman' love for his wife. She was a
beautiful woman, one of those I" keepsake
beauties, that, once seen, make man dream
forever. Her social success was very great in
cities they visited. In Rome, after some years
marriage, they became acquainted with Ger
man artist of good deal of reputation, who to
his art, joined the learning of Benedictine, and
knew the city of Rome well as Winkleman or
Visconti. The German volunteered to be their
cicerone in the Eternal City; they gladly accepted
his offer Many were the hours they passed with
him in the museum of the capital, in the Vatican
in St. Peters, and in the delightful excursions
they made in the envirous of Rome. The artist
became in love with the English lady she re-
ciprocatcd his affection. The husband was a
long while in seeing the stain upon his honor ;
several months passed away before he perceived
it, for he was very much pleased with the artist,
they had long been on the most intimate footing
Although stung to the quick by such base faith
lessness and gross violation of the laws of hos
pitalty and friendship, he said no. hing he dis
liked scenes he was, nevertheless, determined
upon complete revenge, and he appealed to
cooler reflections to furnish forth q suitable pun
ishment. The passions are bad counselors. He
1oft 81, !, IT,
saying nothing but reroir to the artist When
he reached England, he told his wife of the pain
full discovery he had made and he gave her back
into her fathers hands. He then returned to
the continent alone, and visited Germany, Rus
STA and France, where he purchased great
many paintings he then went to Italy, mean
while continuing to purchase paintings, and at
last-two years had now passed away since their
last meeting-he called on the German painter,
who still lived in Rome, and demanded satisfac-
ton from him. His challenge accepted,
and the Englishman, according to the European
custom-being the offended party, selected the
weapons. He chose pistols. During the past
two years he had practised daily for several hours
and his known address with the pistol had be-
come unerring certainty of shot, He sent the
shot wherever he wished it to go. The parties
went on the ground-they were placed at thirty
PAGES apart, and with the privilege of advancing
ten steps before firing. The signal was then Civ
en-. One Two ! Three Fire The word fire
was scarcely out of the seconds mouth when
the Engshman fired without moving his an
tagonist pistol fell from his hand, and was dis
charged by the fall, the ball burying itself in
the ground. The Englishman's ball had shat
tered the artists arm, and amputation was ne
cess ary ; his career of artist was ended-and
forever. few days after the amputation, the
Englishman called on him, and without noticing
the .ngry reception he met, said to the suffering
artist If you think my Vengeance is satisfied
with your shattered hand and the wreck of your
artists career, you strangely underrate the agony
of deceived, disnoncred husband. Though l
have condemned you to life of vain regrets, to
a ncver-ending series of impotent signs, to a
total oblivion by all amateurs and historians of
the art @ Oh no, SIR interrupted the ar
fist, his face beaming with ray of hope " the
last you cannot do. My Madonna at St. Peters
burg my Luther, at Berlin my Flight into
Egypt, at Paris my" The Englishman inter
rupted him in turn Spare me,'' said he q the
names of your works, but look over this cata-
logue and see if | have not the exact list of
them all. " " Yes, they are all there-even the
paintings finished the day before the duel."-
g 80 was persuaded. All the paintings on
this catalogue are my property l do with them
what please, please to burn them, aye, every
one of them, that your name shall be effaced
from the glorious roll of artists. In two hours
from this time, " IT toll, your conceptions, your
skill, will be as completely effaced from the
world, as the lines which the urchin traces in
the sand are eaced by the rising tide; fire is as
destructive water In vain the poor artist
begged for mercy the wronged husband was
insensible to his applications, and in two hours
the servant brought to the artists room a large
earthen vessel commonly used to contain oil
filled with ashes-it was all that remained of his
paintings.