The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-10-25
The Midnight Waltz.


Mademoiselle de Wolkenstein, her first
lady of honor. The appearance of the
latter produced a much greater sensa-
ton than that of the Duchess herself,
and remarks more or less benevolent
accompanied her on her passage.
Aunt, aunt, interrupted the young
Stephanie, did you see the bouquet
which Ottalie had in her hand ? A
large bouquet of magnificent moss
roses"
What's that you are saying, child?'
replied Madame de Nollingen. "Moss
roses at st. Sylvester They could
not be found even in the grand ducal
green house !"
'Stephanie nevertheless spoke tru-
ly, said Madame de Rothenwald. 81
saw Mademoisele de Wolkenstein's
bouquet distinctly, and would like to
know who gave it to her"
1T could only be the Prince" said
the england mistress, with an impa-
tent gesture.
"Oh, no, aunt, it was not him; and
/ if Ottalie does not take care the Prince
will escape her. He is already more
than half in love with the little Lady
/ Emily
What with English woman ?"
cried Madame de Rothenwald
yes, she talks of dogs and horses
to him, and ] would not be surprised
if Ottalie soon finds in this little per-
son a very dangerous rival. Besides, %
added Stsphanie, Il believe | under
stand the mystery of this bouquet. On
Sunday, at the opera, with the Grand
Duchess, Ottalie said before Major de
Ebersdorf that she would give the
world for n bouquet of moss roses on
st, Sylvester's day. Now there lives
at Dilsheim an old American who is
immensely wealthy, and who spends
his whole fortune in the cultivation OF
flowers; we can see as many roses in
his greenhouses in January as in
June.
"Well y interrupted Madame De
Nollingen, land what does all this
prove p
"Wait minute, aunt. Major de
Ebersdorf left F--yesterday evening,
and returned this morning only in
time to resume his Office near the
Grand Duke.
"And do You think" said Madame
de Rothenwald, chat Frederic would
ride over hedge and ditch all night to
get to Delsheim in order to procure
roses for the Wolkenstein He must
be Ill love with her to do that =
Stephanie began to laugh.
My dear Madame de Rothenwald,
where have you been? Have you not
seen that for the last four weeks he has
not danced a cotillion except with
her?"
"Niece, said Madame de Nollingen
"you would do much better not to
NEEDLE yourself so much with the aft
airs of others
And the old Countess rose to go
Madame de Rothenwald took Stephan
les arm, and the two went to look on
coDtre daase which was forming.
This is strange, Stephanie; see,
there is NJ lie de Wolkenstein dancing
with the grand equerry, and opposite
to them is Eberstodorf and the Fronk-
enthal."
Because her royal Highness has
ordered the Major to dance the first
copt,e dqnSe with Henriette. But did
YOU notice Ottalies face when she saw
her ris-a-ris | am certain that she
is furious, and that Frederic will pay
dearly for his contrc danse, for she de-
tests the Frgnkenthal.
do you think, then, that she loves
the Count p
"She the cold, proud Ottalie She
will never love, and, even if she did,
she would die a thousand times rather
than let him gee it
"Iu that case she viii find her equal,
for EbersdoIf's is a character no less
naughty and untamable than her own
The object of this conversation, OF
talie de Wolkenstein, seemed perfectly
to realize the ideal type of feminine
; dignity. Nothing could be more clas-
sic than the shape of her head or more
+ purely chiselled than her features.
; Her magnificent hair, which was OF
light chestnut, was parted over brow
truly imperial; her superb carriage
and the habitually naughty expression
of her mouth, seemed to indicate that
nothing existed on the earth which
was worthy of her. Brought up in
the midst of the court, Ottalie soon
found herself the centre of attraction
= Her extreme beauty, added to hei
position, brought to her feet all the
men of the Grand Duchy, commenc
ing with the hereditary Prince himself
The brilliant success which she met
with soon stihed in her heart the germs
of sensibility and love, and augmented
"a an extraordinary degree thirst fol
r,omilion. For Ottalie to live was tc
re;an but TO reign equally over all
In spite o. the disdain with which she
treated all thei.r protestations, Ottaiit
was surrounded VIII crowd OF aspir'
ants desperately and hopelessly IN io I've
No man approached her without o W,
coming completely fascinated AM no'
one could divine the cause OF the man
yellous power of this young girl.
The dance finished. the grand equer,-
nv attempted to conduct Mademoisel'
q le de Wolkenstein to Il seat, but the
J throng of guests hindered them sever,
n t;mas from advancing In one ol