New-York tribune., 1882-02-19


! till you receive further Instructions
Nobody. MadameF
'NObOdy-not even the ambassador. not even my
! husband. Iou are tO say am III and can receive
! no visitors. Indeed, | do feel unwe aud require
to be quite alone lOr reelection. Can rely on you
Certainly. Madam. But the MARQUIS de Cypr
will doubt think it strange that shOud deny
him admttance to his viles apartments
No matter what he thinks. DO as you are told
and you will understand my purpose in due time.
If you obey me faithfully Berthes hand shall be
your reward
Archie McEwen bowed to the Grand Duchess, ex-
changed a glance with the blushing Berthe de
Cypr and left the room to moan his novel guard
He little thought how long and arduons one 1t
was to prove.
".
Once more he was on duty with that trying order
Let nobody pass to execute. But this time he
was not IN uniform, and he did not hang about
passages.
The Grand Duchess occupied in the hotel large
suite of state rooms, which were reserved for per-
sOnages of her rank and winch had a private en-
trance. The servants of the hotel admitted nobody
without referring to the Duchesss malOr-dOmO,
Malouleh, and MalOuietf had instructions 10 dismiss
all the visitors of little Importance himself but to
refer persons of high condition to her HIghness's
Ade-de-Camp and acting Chamberlain, Count
Makune.
But this arrangement obliged Makuine to remain
indoors all day and night tie did not dare tO leave
his apartments Tor an instant. On the morning
after he had begun his guard the Russian amb3s-
sador arrived and his Excellency evidently did not
believe the story which he had heard from
| must ask you Colonel, to Use your influence
with the Grand-Duchess to procure me an instant
audience he SAID conhdsntIally. The matter is
very important
I have no influence with her Imperial IIighuess,
your EXceIIency,' replied Makuine coldly.
BuI you are aware that, as ambassador, repre-
Certainly, but even his Majesty might hesitate
20 penetrate to the Grand-Duchesa's bedroom II he
heard she was ILL.,
The dIpomatist bit his lips. VIII Won ring for
one of her Imperial HighnesS's ladies' 2 he said.
MaKuine touched a bell and one Of the Grand
Duchesss maids appeared. Shc was a Russian. in
the national costume, with a iebt-blue klrtie and
velvet headdress ike tiara. Size wa, ordered 10
inquire If her mistress would receive the AMBASSADOR
aud after five minutes absence returned with q
negative reply. Her Imperial HIgLuess was
nobody.
The ambassador Withdrew, looking ugly dis
patches a soldier is said 10 look daggers soon
aiterWard the Marquis Oe CypU cane tripping up
the stairs, gay lark, with flower IN his
buitOn-hole. lie vas not staying n the same hoteI
his wife. and this his hrst VISIT TO her since
her arrival; He pulled very strange grlmaee when
Makuine denied him admit tauce. Why, why
what's the natter he siammered. j. she angry
with me for not having called Yesterday Her
arrival was only announced Ia the papers tins
i think tnat the simple reason is that her High
ness is -she can have no other reason Tor eXclnu-
ing yOu.' answered Makuine
i say-yOu-y0u don't think she mas heard OF my
having -uppcd with actresses the night before last"
inquired the Marquis in a nervous and piteous tone.
answered Makuine who could not help laughing.
And yet she gives orders % exclude me ! eN-
claimed the Marquis, whose temper rose. DO EOu
know, Count, that, a. her husband, have a right
to force my way INTO her FresenceF
Hardly that, Tor you are not officially recognized
a. the Grand-Duches5S cOuNOrt'
And supp0sing | did force my way through
asked the Marquis. scanning the Scotcbman who
was a full head taller than himself.
am sure you would UOt me in such an aWk-
warOt~ position replied MakuIne gently. 'You
would only obige me to give orders To the servants
that you should not be admitted beyond the hall !
90 to the devil CALCULATED the Marquis and he /.
went away muttering something about lacks-ln- /
Office, and looking exceedingly unc0m. Ortable /
under the fear that he had by some fresh freak !
incurred his wife's dl, pleasure
lie came again the next day, and the next; and +.
so did Ule ambassador; but neither of them were /
admitted. Makulne was lost IN wonder at the
length Of the brand-DucueSs's seclusiOn but /.
be could only obey the orders he received every
morning from the Russian wait ng-wOman. The +
used to come with very trIgid eXDfes-
sIOn Ike an Official no Is prepared for atirOnt;
but who only wants To be able to say This Is the
thlrd-Or fourth-tme that have bai the door shut ,
in my face After the fourth day. however, ms
EXcelency grew tired Of this work, and began to
seud an attache every morning in his stead The
attache presented himself with a serious men,
asked pro formd at what hour the Grand-Duchess
would give audience TO the anDassador, and on
being told that her Imperial ltJghneSs was sun
confined TO her room, he would sha hands smiling
with Makuine, and go away without arguing the
point
The MARQUIS came every DAY IN q lar less phil
Osophica mood. lie had discarded flowers from his
buttOnhoe; he pale and unhappy. SOMETIMES
he tried % shake Nakulne by question aud afgu-
meuts: some lines he lost al patience, spoke with
were very trying 10 the A. y. e.: but luckily De
Cypri did not attempt violence. lie was Withheld
from this extreme partly by his sense OF pr0puety,
and DOssiblv also hV the recollection as proved bg
the hapless Strenko's case that the Scottish officer
was a man TO beware Of; lie ccnhned himself 10
vowiug that so long as he had voice IN the dis
posal of his sisters nand, he would never suifer
her to become the vile Of man hO seemed to take
, leasuTe in hOutng him.
Alakuine took no such plea sure. as may be readily
believed. for hls tiresome guard was being pio-
onged beyond all reason. lie mad imagined IA the
beginning that it would last day az most but
" hole week went by, and then another, and StiI
he was not relieved. EO make matters worse, at
the end OF the hrst week the GrandDuchesss eutlre
suite arrived from Russla-chLdren, gOyeTnesses,
tutors. servants. in all thirty souls; aud yet her
Imperal Highness continued 10 be- invisible. Every
morning the children used 20 come IN row, with
their tutors, guvernesses and nurses, and ASK the
Colonel whether they wOald be allowed TO pay their
respects 10 their mamma, AMI MaAulne had TO IN
form them that their mamma was unwell but with
)ut alarming them. lie WAS beginning 10 feel
Harmed however What If the Grand Duchess
should really be III If So why was no doctor
MakuInc did not once see Berthe dc
yypii who might have told HIM the ruth but, on
lie whole he was somewhat reassured by TINS,
ceiling sure that if any thing serious mad happened
she would have come TO tell ham. FOR an this twas
weary, weary watch that the soldier kept. rom
bus window he could see the hustle Of the Paris
view the carriages going IN the evening
% the brilliantly lighted Grand Opera and vet he
!urst not STIR out. Duung the whole OF MS l0ug
guard he never once pat on his hat aud wIthal hls
pas. expel ence did not afford hIm the comfort OF
ceiling thai a man who Obeys orders with unfelenJ-
ng strictness is always the better thanked TOT II.
Ii was on the seventeenth day OF MakuIne YIgI
lat change at last occurred. lie was taxing eA-
,rclse in one CT the passages. IN o state OF lnInd
lpuroac,ing desperation, wuen be heard the Mar
Iuis de Cypr laughing in the hall below. as that
Gentleman had not laughed for "a tortnleht' ana
lext minute he saw him ascending the stalls chee
Dy Iowl with the Russian ambassador ms was
= = Il -L.L an. In.