The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-09-06

soul: while his thick muStache framed,
rather than concealed, smile that irradi-
ated his intellectual countenance with sweet
ness and light" Such, at least, was the
description given Of him in one Of my wife's
letters to my mother law and am glad
| happened to look into that letter, as it
saved me some little trouble in attempting
to describe him in words of my own.
The Baron mixed very little with his own
countrymen, and as ventured to suggest to
my wife, seemed rather shy of them. He
never went to the public amusements and
declined to subscribe to the Circolo. She
explained to me in reply, that he was the
only nobleman in the place, and was, per-
haps, little naughty toward his compat
riots Of lower rank. He had also inform
ed her himself that he had selected our no.
tel for the express purpose of mixing with
the English, as he was expecting shortly to
receive government appointment, and, for
the better discharge Of his prospective du-
ties, little knowledge of English was de-
sirable
l should have mentioned before that
only speak my own language; but my wife
can converse in Italian with ease and huen-
cy, and the Baron very naturally talked
with her good deal, and occasionally con-
descended to speak to me by her interpreta-
ton.
Shortly after the arrival of the Baron
Monteggiana- Tavernelle, we were further
enlivened by another. This time it was
Russian lady, attended by her maid. There
were no other Russians at the Hotel du Bon
Virant. and she appeared to have come
there rather from necessity than from
Oh
the inn usually frequented by those of her
nation She declined to enter her name in
the visitors book, and for the first two or
three days dined in her own room, holding
herself aloof from the rest of us. This,
added to the effect produced by stateli-
ness, not to say grandeur, of department
and rich sobriety Of dress, prepared us all
for the discovery which in a few days oozed
out, that she was a Russian princess, a
widow, who wished to remain incognito, and
to live lietly in the enjoyment of an un
conventional freed ON from the obligations
Of nobility-an enjoyment beyond her COM
mand at home.
We never fully understood how this oozed
out. Her female attendant could under
stand nothing, and therefore could divulge
nothing. The maitre d'hotel assured his
guests that he knew no more than the rest
of the world; and, by his mysterious shrug
gings, his self contradictions, and, above all,
by his manner, impressed US all with the
firm belief that there was secret in his
possession. This, Of cou, Sc, confirmed the
truth of the report, and it became an estab-
lished fact that the lady was q Russian prin-
cess.
After few days of seclusion, she vouch-
safed to make her appearance at the table
dhotel and retired with the rest of the la
dies to the Sale des Danes afterward.
Then it was that the Baron exhibited his
Unborn as well as inherited nobility. He at
tended to her little wants, placed her an
arm-charm by the fragrant woodfire and,
on receiving her thanks in his mother tongue
his parents pride no doubt had prevented
him from tearing any other-he entered into
a respectful and courtly conversation with
her. There were plenty of other men in
the room who could have done it; but the
Baron was naturally the fttest person to be-
gin; and will give him credit for bound
less f-possession-not to call it impu-
dence.
The acquaintance thus begun grew with a
tropical rapidity. The cold northern tenn
pSIuUCAS bOiSIy OAS 4uAVhLy tAuWC GU uCuC1tu
the warm rays of Italian sweetness and
light Fragments of their talk occasionally
reached the ears Of my wife and others who
could understand them, from which it ap
peared that their main topic was the opera
."Ah, madame. he was interpreted to
me as saying-"If l could be but honored
with your presence in my box at Florence.
The music would be angelic then"
THE signor does me q great favor in ex
pressing the wish"
Yes; it was clear that he was hard hit,
and that she knew it, and had no desire to
dismiss him. And yet she was in no single
point guilty of indscretion, forwardness, or
coquetry, in my opinion.
THAT woman" said my wife, sis abom-
Unable! Look how she hunts that poor man
down. l suppose she fancies Sicily nicer
country than Siberia, or. wherever it is she
came from"
"Well, my DEAR" replied. ait seems to
me that the hunting is mutual Really, l
don't see why he shouldn't marry her, if
they both like it."
"She may be mere tuft-hunting advent
uress, for all We know" said she; II don't
believe in her"
We'll, but perhaps he knows more than
we do"
II don't believe in her bit. She's
hunting him down for his wealth and title,
and is as much q princess as ami
The season was now At its height, and
every room was occupied; the very last attic
in the Hotel du Bon Vivant being secured
by German count, the Count Sigismund
Won Borokopek. He put down his name in
the visitors book like . man, and his whole
demeanor was frank, open, and robust. He
was extraordinarily fluent in English, as
well as in French and Italian; German, of
course, was his mother-tongue, q few dia-
lectical peculiarities noticeable in his pro-
nunciation arising, he explained, from the
circumstance of his being partly of Aus
trian, partly of Hungarian origin; the
Borokopek estates being in the vicinity of
Tokay.
We now numbered about eight guests, and
began to know one another pretty well; but
somehow the Count knew as all better than
We knew one another before he had been a
week among us. He was big, burly, fair
man, SO thoroughly British in appearance,
and in his general characteristics, IS to rem
i :,