The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1869-09-22
Eccentricities of n Rich Rus
sian Prince.

All the world now Is lnqulsitlve to
know how stands the young Russian
Prince Narischkine, who for some mopibs
past has been fencing with the bank at
Baden. Lucky Princel He is now as
well known as Victor Hugo. Not day
passes without the newspapers telling us
of the money he has lost. the bank notes
that have been stolen from him, the neck
laces he has bought, the scenes he seeks
and the intermittence he finds. Let US in
turn give some particulars about this lion
of green baize tables. When say lion,
use, need scarcely say, fgurative ex-
preston for nothing about the Russian
prince in question reminds one of the king
Of animals. Some people imagine Rus
sian prince is necessarily seven feet high,
and walks about with bear skin over bis
shoulders when the thermometer stands at
blood heat in the shade.
Prince Narischkine has nothing of the
giant about him. He is scarcely over oft
Gin tall, is as thin as lnciler match, and
is very pallid. Everybody in Paris has
seen him at the performance of new pieces
"a young man looking like tired child
and who is said to be tired of life, though
he is only at the age when Others begin
fairly to lice. You can certainly see him
in stage box, stiff as a ramrod, rose in
his button hole, his neck imprisoned in a
white cravat, which brings out still more
visibly the verdigris color of his complex
ion. In this dried head the eye alone
seemed to live; his glance is astute and
piercing his bearing is that of perfect
gentleman. If he rarely laughs it's be-
cause he is rarely amused. Over his lips
| fits a smile which would appear disdain-
| full, and whish is at the bottom only the
expression of ill-concealed receptions, for
that satiated child knows very well no.
body can buy with millions the gifts ma
ture bestows gratuitously ON its privileged
children. The bottom of this tempera-
ment is fatigue. Prince Narischkine
goes to the theatre as be stakes hun
bred thousand francs, merely to spend a
quarter of an hour. He never laughs.
He rarely talks, and when he does open
his mouth, one would think it is put in
motion by little steam engine his adroit
tailor has managed to put into the pocket
of his black dress coat. All Paris knows
this young man, but nobody knows his
| friends He is a man of cold and disdain-
ful character, who does not easily make
acquaintance. The unfortunate fellow
has already learned. though only FIVE and
twenty, to dlsdain friendship; as for love,
he knows what it costs.
He is at Paris seen almost always alone.
He buries his sadness in the walls of a
cottage, where he sometimes remains two
or three months together in eontempla-
ton of his millions They ask at the club.
where is Prince Narischkine? One an
swers, " He is at Naples" Another says.
"He is sick" When everybody begins
to forget Prince Narischkine, he returns
fresher than ever more IRRITABLE than be-
fore. Nobody knows whether he is good
or ill-natured, for nobody knows anything
about his life, except that he is great
tease, and that half the actions of his life
are contrived to annoy somebody. He
would give 100000 francs for picture
worth 60 francs just for the sake of annoy
ing an acquaintance. He would lose 300,
600 francs at cards to irritate his partner
by making the latter lose 400 francs.
The master of an infinite number of mil
lions, he feels keen enjoyment of his
companions pecuniary embarrasments.
He knows be has the advantage of mil
lions, and he likes to make it felt Last
winter, after winning 100000 francs at his
club, he set out the next morning for
Italy. He did not care for 100000 francs,
but he did care a good deal to enjoy the
knowledge that his departure greatly an
noyed the acquaintance whose money he
had won. Prince Narischkine carries
this desire of showing the superiority of
his millions with him wherever he goes.
At Baden he pretends to humiliate the
bank by throwing on the table packet
bank notes which makes the banker trem-
BILE with anxiety and pleasure. Prince
Narischkine goes about the saloons with
100000 or 100000 francs of bank notes,
and he throws all on the table and announ-
ces his maximum is 5000 francs.
He is as quiet at Baden as at Paris.
He scarcely opens his mouth to say 5000
francs on the rouge When he wins, his
little eyes glitter with an unaccustomed
brilliancy. When he has lost 100000
francs at trehte-et-gudrGate he goes to
play an ice at dominoes to avoid the ap-
pearaDce of veXation. Prince Narisch-
kline likes to conceal his sensations, and
none of his companions accurately know
what takes place in that sick birds little
head. 1t is true, nobody ever accused him
of an evil action; at the same time nobody
ever heard of his doing a good deed No
body knows whether his fortune should be
envied, or whether he should be pitied for
his absent youth. But he shows that mon
ey does not constitute happiness. have
seen him often. i have observed him a
good deal at the gaming tables at Baden
and at the Bots de Boulogne. where he
generally buries his sadness at the back of
a brougham. Here is a child who would
like to amuse himself, and who is always
fatigued, except when he can play joke
on some companion. We must acknowl-
edge he has an aristocratic bearing, and
the only time l was in his company, in a
friends drawing room, was surprised to
hear him talk with great fuency. Con-
ceive my stupefaction. | believed he had
in his youth been taught only this phrase:
six thousand francs to the mdSse." One
evening last winter he even made smart
repartee. His club has among its men,
bers another Russian, whom Prince Mar
ischkine takes pleasure to mortify. One
evening the president of the club said to
him, MY dear Narischkine, the club
treasury needs 100000 How much will
you lend it2" He carelessly replied. 80,
000f. 1T seems to me that you might
as well make it 100000" He answered.