The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-20
that her Majesty's presence should be

~ .Jeesy y PASSS@SS -~N~N ~
announcedT
"Is the story trueT thought one.
81 will tell it to some of these writing
people, and they might make feuille-
ton out of it, with an illustration" said
gentleman. r e
"Her Majesty" cried the usher, and
there was silence for moment.
1t was the Empress, who, then in her
prime, never appeared more lovely.
Rather tall and stately, her fine presence
allowed her to look down upon the group,
which had risen, and now surrounded
her. She shook hands with two or three
ladies, bowed pleasantly to Others, who
made slight reverences to her, and some
introductions took place. An old Gen
eral, who had fought his way to distinc-
ton, as far back as the times of the first
Empire, but VINO had still the elegance
and grace of Captain of staff Of to-day,
offered his arm, which was accepted, and
the Empress made the round of the room.
1t was the Empress custom to talk a
little to every one, 80 that the ice should
be broken.
Evidently the dame d'atour had had
some inkling OF the Metternich toilet
1t was possible that a mot d'ordre had
been passed from mouth to mouth, for
simplicity in dress seemed to have been,
at least on this occasion, universally
adopted. Eugenie wore a white dress
over pearl-colored satin, with hardly
any overlooking of lace. There were but
three rings on the fingers Of the imperial
hand that were ungloved; there was not
even bracelet, not brooch; but around
her neck there hung, in mellow gold, the
Greek necklace, the vase-like pendants
rising and falling with soft chickering's of
light, as they followed the rhythmatic
undulations of her breathing.
In an instant there were innumerable
admirers.
ooh! the divine necklace your Majesty
has,"
"Where did your Majesty get that love,
that treasurer?
"a Poppea might have barttered all
her Jewels for the like Of it. Your Ma
jesty must have hunted the world over
for it,"
The first part of this speech was ILL.,
natured, but the Empress was not very
learned lady.
"But Paris is the world" said an
other.
"Ah, your Imperial Highness," said
the Princess Metternich, "may ! be per-
mitted to admire it? 1t is wonderfully
becoming. The poetry Of thegoldsmith's
art. 1t is chaster than any Etruscan
work. l recognize the beautiful sim
plicity of antique thought and adelicacy
Of handicraft which belongs to the past.
A jeweler some thousands of years ago
might make reputation on par with a
scul ptor, for he worked in an equally in
destructible material"
"You find it pretty, Madame la Prin-
cesse? I am delighted. There is no one
whose taste is more appreciative," said
the Empress with happy laugh. "It is,
though, a bagatelle, l am afraid-scarce
worthy of notice-when compared with
your Benvenuto Cellini."
'1 really think we have beaten the
Metternich this time," said Nine. de Pont
Vale, to her nephew.
ut is to M. de Nerac," said the EN-
press as the equerry bowed low to her,
"that ] am indebted for this trouvaille.
All I know about its history is this:
Some of our collectors wanted to put it
away under glass case in a museum,
and NJ. de Nerac, with. true gallantry,
rescued it."
M. de Nerac was at once overwhelmed
with questions.
"Her Majesty is entirely too good in
imputing to me any serious knowledge on
these subjects. am nothing more than
an amateur, and by no means learned. l
am certain there must be some one here
among your Majesty's guests who could
talk long and learnedly about this neck
lace-wbo has given time and study to
these biblots."
mn mn 4