Smyrna times., 1875-09-15
A Woman's Revenge.

In the latter part of the seventeenth
century French woman of extraordinary
beauty startled Florence, in Italy, by the
splendor Of her equipage and entertain
ments. Her husband, the Count --,
had been dead some years, and the brilliant
widow made such attractive use of the
millions he had left her that she soon
ceased to number her courtiers on her
fingers. One night she discovered man
in the assembly at her palace whom it was
her destiny to love. He, too, was re-
markably handsome, and for time the
fairest couple whom the society of Florence
in those stately days had looked upon were
thought to be destined to a life of mutual
happiness. But one more puissant than
the French countess, or deXterous, at least,
suddenly descended from the north and
captured Adonis. This was a Russian
woman of high rank, whose residences and
acres were scattered through every country
in Europe. She departed with her bride
groom at the close of triumphant season
of revels, after inviting her Gallican rival
to become her guest for fortnight in the
course of the approaching summer. The
French woman surprised the victor by
accepting the invitation, and in the brief
July OF 1862, at a superb Summer resi-
dence on the southern shore of the Gulf of
Finland, HARDLY the site of the present
splendid Peterhoff, the memory of the an
tagonism at Florence was apparently
laughed and whiled away.
The beautiful countess did not leave her
friends without obtaining from them a
promise to visit her at her own retreat the
very next year. In the following July she
welcomed them to an immense ancient
country seat on a slope of the western
range of the Carpathian mountains. From
the day of their arrival they were both
treated day and night, to a succession of
pleasure far surprising any that she had
received at their hands. Her retainers
We're numerous, trained to perfection, and
obeyed their mistress with the CELEBRITY, |
silence and humility of slaves. Her horses |
were Of the noblest breeds, and the bride |
paths led through wild and charming
scenery. Her suppers, laid with the glitter
ing display of that age, offered the dishes |
and the wines of three countries. Harpers |
and singers joined at distance in giving |
the zest of Martins, Palestrinia's, and |
Gasparini's music to these feasts, which were |
followed almost nightly by theatrical repre-
sentations, or performances of magicians, |
or dances by young men and girls, which
sometimes took on disheveled and be-
wildered beauty.
The last week of the visit was rendered |
still more brilliant and delightful by the
presence of large number of distinguished
guests from various quarters of Europe
friends of the countess, who seldom let a.
Summer pass without accepting her Bohe-
mian hospitality, and the last night before
their departure was set for an entertain
ment which promised to surpass everything
that had preceded it in the respects of
novelty and beauty.
The countess had arranged a series of |
and biblical tableaux vivants, |
and number of the guests of both sexes,
including her former lover, the husband of
the Russian, had been prevailed on to take
parts in them.
At the close of magnificent feast and |
wassail the company separated. Those
who were to appear in the representations
were conducted to the retiring rooms,
while the rest stayed to take seats or lie at
ease as an audience upon-the vast lounges,
stuffed leather ottomans, and heaps of
skins, by which hundred servants quickly
replaced the chairs and tables at one end
of the great dining hail. The Russian
bride occupied an elevated seat of honor
in front Of this throng, and when all-was
ready the hostess entered and sat beside
her. The entertainment met with enthu-
siastic acceptance; and no wonder. The
comeliest men and women whom the
countess could entice from the circle of !