The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-12-04

ranged on a brass triangle in the wir.
dow but the mist had coated the glass
with its moist breath, and he could only
| distinguish a vague shadow. The1
taking bold resolution, he turned OF
his heels, and walked deliberately
toward the gdSthof of the Double
headed Eagle.
1.-THE GAsTHoF oFTHE DOUBLE-HEADEI
EAGLE.
That evening there was a numerous
company at the Eagle; IL was a mos
miscellaneous gathering, and the capri
ciousness of Callot and of Goya com
bined could not have formed stranger
amalgamatiOn of characteristic types.
The Eagle was one of those happy
cellars made famous by Hoffman, OF
which the steps are so worn, so oily and
so slippery that one cannot place his
foot on the first without finding himself
Immediately at the bottom, with elbows
on the table and a pipe in his mouth, be.
tween pot of beer on one side and g
measure of new wine on the other.
Through the thick cloud of smoke,
which at once filed the eyes and throat,
were visible, after a few minutes, all
SOEb5 OF strange 0guT6S.
There were Wallachians with their
caftans and astrachan caps; Servians
and Hungarians, with long black mus.
taches, and caparisoned in dolmans
and 21GSSen1e11teTieS Bohemians, with
brOnzed compilations, narrow foreheads
and Roman profiles; honest Germans,
In great coats, with brdndebe1IrgS Tar
tars, with eyes like those of Cinnamon
in brief, representatives of every imagi-
nable nation. The east was typefied by
a fat Turk, who crouched in a corner
and quietly smoked Lataka tobacco in a
pipe with stem made of the wood of
the Maldavian cherry-tree, with a red
earthenware bowl and a yellow amber
mouth-piece.
All these men, leaning on the tables
OF the place, were eating and drinking.
The beverage was strong beer and a
mixture of new red wine and rather
older white wine. The food consisted
of slices of cold veal and ham, and of
pastry.
Around the tables whirled increasingly
one of those long German waltzes,
which produce the same effect on the
northern imagination as hasheesh and
opium on the oriental. Couples passed
to and fro rapidly. the women almost
unconscious with pleasure, in the arms of
their partners. Walters swept about
with their skirts, to the sound of one
of Lanner's waltzes, the clouds of smoke,
and famed the brows of drinkers. At
the counter some Morlachian in1prOUis.
dteurs, accompanied by a guzla player,
recited a sort of dramatico- descriptive
song, which seemed to afford great
pleasure to q dozen strange individuals
with heads decked with tarbouches, and
dressed in lamb-skin.
Henri directed his steps to the rear of
the cellar, and seated himself at table
already occupied by three or four Jolly
persons in high spirits.
why, here is Henri" exclaimed the
oldest of the party Il" take care of your
selves, friends FtenHnl hGbet an cOTTa1L.
Do you know that you really had dia-
bolical air the other evening? You al
most frightened me. Who would ever
have thought that Henri, who drinks
beer as we all do, and does not refuse
slice of cold ham, could assume so fear
full, wicked and sardOnic an appear
ance, and that one gesture from him
sufficed to chill the whole audience"
"Why that is exactly the reason that
Henri is great, a sublime comedian !
There is no glory in portraying a char
lcter which comes perfectly natural to
the actor the triumph of a coquette is
10 play admirably the part of a maiden"
Henri took seat modestly, ordered q
large glass of mixed wine, and the con-
versation continued in the same strain.
From all sides came compliments.
"Ah! if only the great Wolfgang
Goethe could have seen you !" said one.
"Show us your feet, said the other
g am sure they are cloven."
The remainder of the spectators,
startled by these EXPLANATIONS, looked
earnestly at Henri, only too happy to be
able to scan closely such a remarkable
erly met Henri at the university, and
whose names were scarcely known to
him, came and shook hands cordially,
as though they were his most intimate
friends. The prettiest walters directed
toward him, as they rushed past, the
sOftest glances of their blue and velvetY
eyes.
One man alone, seated at a table near
by, did not apparently share the general
with his head thrown
back, he kept drumming on the crown
Of his hat in an absent minded manner
a military march, and from time to time
gave vent to an ejaculation implying de-
,ided doubt.
He was most extraordinary looking
person, though he was dressed like re-
spectacle looking burgher of Vienna,
of moderate means. His gray
eyes were shaded with green, and threw
CLEANS like the eyes of
a cat. When his pale and fiat lips
parted they displayed two rows of very
white teeth, very sharp, set very widely
apart, and having q savage and ferOcious
look his nails, long, glistening, and
curved, bore a vague resemblance to
claws. This expression of the man,
however, was only visible by flashes to
5he attentive eye the countenance would
resume promptly the burgher-like and
good cast of that of a retired
and one felt surprised at
having suspected for a moment so COM
non and unmeaning face of rascallty
md diabolical propensities.
Inwardly Henri was shocked at the
manner of this man.
His disdainful silence detracted from
he value of the enthusiastic praise with
which his friends overwhelmed him. It
vas the silence indictive of an aged con-
loisseur not to be deceived by appear
lnces, and who had seen better things
n his day.
Atmayer the youngest of the party,
md Henri's most ardent admirer,
,ould not tolerate this icy manner, and,
addressing the stranger as appealing to
him in confirmation of the assertion
made, said
g Is it not true, sir, that the part of
has never been better
acted than by my friend ?"
"Humph !" said the stranger, making
his pupils gleam, and bringing his sharp
;eeth together with a clashing sound
9 Herr Henri is a young man of ability,
whom highly esteem, but he still lacks
many qualifications to play the devil"
And, suddenly drawing himself up,
le asked:
"Have you ever seen the devil, Herr
Henri %
He put the question in such strange
md mocking tone that all present
"This is very necessary for truthful
hess of your portrayal of the character.
The other evening was present at your
performance at the Karn theater, and