Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-03-07
UNION AND AMERICAN.
LIE ROMANCE OF A wALTz.

THE ROMANCE OF A WALTZ
Arsene Houssaye's Paris Letter in the New
York Tribune.
The second ball Of the Elysee was
finer than the first, because there were
more pretty women. 1t was the luck
Of the invitations. The American
colony was gracefully represented by
Mesdames Hoffman, Darwin, Robin
son, Stebbins, and tlttti qE0Hti.
What romances there are IN balls
a portiOnless young girl-say hun
bred Thousand francs-comes IN with a
GreuZe face, under a forest of blonde
hair. A bored young man, with thee
hundred thousand francs income, asks
her to dance. The thunderbOlt Of love
had struck his heart.
"Mademoiselle,' - he said, do you ike
TO dancer" Every much indeed, sir. -
"And to waltz" "Passionately, sir.
"Wil you make a sacrifice for me?"
The young lady looked at the young
man. Why nOt?"
very well, mademoiselle, do not
dance nor waltz this evening"
And for this sacrifcei" Il offer
you my name and fortune"
THAT is a great deal" said the
young girl, more tempted by her feet
than her heart. DO you hear the
violins?"
"MademOiselle, I am called the Count
de and 1 have three hundred
thousand ivres Of income"
The young girl doubtless reflected
that with three hundred thousand
francs income one could pay for a
great many fddles.
Monsieur" she said, "let US com.
promise. I will not waltz or dance
with any one but you"
No, Mademoiselle, 1 want a COM
plete sacrifice. You are the most
beautiful person at the ball; every one
Is gazing at you; we viii walk into one
Of the little drawing-roOms and chat
together ike married people"
Already" said the young lady,
making a saucy face. But she had left
her place IN the quadrIlle. She leaned
upOn the arm Of the young man and
allowed herself to be taken to the stair
case. ''This is despotism, sir" Yes,
mademoiselle, wish 70 be master be-
fore if not after"
The young girl mounted the stair
case, saying to herself. "Three hun
dred thousand livres Of income, a hotel,
a chateau, a racing stable, a hunting
eguipage, travel like a princess, caprices
like a queen
They went slowly up the steps, for
the Elysee staircase Is invaded, after
the manner Of Venetian fete, by a sea
OF guests. The quadrille was ended.
All at once the young girl hears the
prelude Of Oliver Metra's Serenade, a
Spanish and French waltz, full Of rap
ture and melancholy, full Of passion
and sentiment. She could resist no
longer. She withdraws her hand from
the arm which holds it, she glides like
a serpent through the human waves;
she arrives breathless IN the grand
saloon of the orchestra. She no longer
knows what she is doing, the serenade
nas so bewitched her. A Walter who
does not know her seizes her on the
wing, and bears her into the whirl-
wind.
Meanwhile what is che three hundred
thousand a yeal man doing? He is
desperate; he has had happiness IN his
very hands, and now he sees 1t vanish
ing from him Ike a dream, all because
WaldteufeI had the unlucky idea to
play that diabOlical waltz. The IN
happy lover tries in vain to reason with
himself, to curse his folly, tOswear that
he will never look at the woman again.
He has not the courage to 90 up the
stairs. He descends four steps at a
time; nothing stops him; he follows the
young girl; he arrives almost as soon as
she does before the orchestra. Alas,
She is already off for the waltz. She
Is a thousand leagues away from him.
The first conner holds her IN his arms,
breathes the fragrance Of her adorable
blonde hair, reyels IN the glances of her
soft eyes, the color Of heaven.
Is not this the moment to give you
my opinion Of the waltz? Will trans
late 1t in these maxims which La
Rochefoucauld would hesitate to sign.