Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-04-18
THE PRINCESS BARNABAs.
The Princess Barnabas was in a state Of tn

The Princess Barnabas was in a state of the
most profound perplexity. She could not, for
the dainty little life of her, make up her mind
on the important question as to whether she
should or should not commit suicide at the
close of the season. 1t was not very easy for
the Princess many admirers to understand
why she should perturb her mind with such q
problem at all, but perturb it she did with that
very problem, whether wisely or unwisely
Inc Princess Barnabas was a very remarka-
Ole young woman, who had proved the puzzle,
the pride and the passion of London society
Tor three whole sensational seasons. She was
not yet four-and-twenty. She bore the title of
great Russian prince who had married her
just before she came of age, at a time when he
himself was old enough to be her grandfather,
and who had considerably died within two
years OF the ceremony, leaving her the absolute
mistress of his fortune and his territories, as
she had been during life the absolute mistress
OF his heart for the short time in which
he swayed it. She was said to be fabuiousy
wealthy. Her jewels were the wonder of the
season and out of season, with a seini-barbaric
enjoyment of their glitter and splendor which
WAS IKE everything else about her partly Orien-
TAI ana parity Childish Some time after her hus-
bands death she had come to Paris and got
tired of it, and then she crossed the Channel
ana conquered London. During one resplend-
ent session little else was talked about but the
Princess Barnabas. Society journals raved
about her delicate beauty, which seemed to be-
long to the canvases of the last century, which
ought to have been immOrtaliZed on pate tendre,
ana hymned in madrigals. Men adored her:
her matchless jewels. The dying ashes of a
seasons scandal fiared up into marvel
atty. She was 0 enorm ner pt sths tning
Enormously "the thing she remained during
second season. after an interval of absolute
disappearance into the domnions of the Gar
Enormously "the thing" she still appeared to
be now in her third season, in spite of the rival
attractions of an American actress who had
not married an English duke, and an American
girl with millions who had married the bluest
blood and the oldest name in Europe. 1t would
have been absurd for any one to contest the
point that the Princess Barnabas was the very
most interesting figure of that phantasmal
dance of shadows which is called London So
| ciety.
Nevertheless the Princess Barnabas was
weary, positively bored. If she had been less of
success, life might not have appeared so desc
| late. There would have been a piquancy in
the possibility of rivalry which would have
| lent new interest to the tasteless feast AS it
was, however, London life at the height of Its
| maddest activity appeared to her as drear and
gray as those vast stretches of steepes which
| lay like great around one of the Russian
castles of the late Prince Barnabas. 1t was
during this fit of depression when the Princess
Barnabas was graciously pleased to agree with
the author OF "Ecclesiastes," that life was
vanity, that 1T occurred to her that in all her
| United suicide. She Immediately gave up her
mind to the important problem, whether she
should gain this ultimate human experience at
once, or postpone it Indefinitely.
1t was in this frame of mind that the Prin-
cess went to the great ball at the Russian En-
bassy. As she nestled among her furs in the
dim, luxurious warmth of her carriage, her
mind was running entirely upon the various
forms of self-destruction which had been made
of the worlds history, and she could find
none that were sufficiently attractive or re-
markable to please her. "Good heavens!" she
thought to herself, with little shudder which
even the warmth of her surroundings could not
repress, 81 is it impossible to be banate even in
that?' and she gave a little groan as she
stepped out of her carriage and up the embassy
steps. The thought was still on her mind, and
tracing the least suggestion of frown upon
her exquisite girlish face she entered the
great room and took the hand of the ambassa-
dress. The thrill of interest, of excitement, of
upon her entrance did not give her any answer
ing thrill of qualification. She appeared to
listen with the most gracious attention to the
with the daintiest little air of infantile obei-
sance the Old World courtesy of a white-haired
Minister who have been as much at home as
she herself in a salon of the Regent of Orleans.
She cOndescended to entangle in network of
fascination particularly obdurate and Inn
passive Secretary OF State. She patronized
prince of the blood royal and was exceedingly
frank and friendly with the young painter
familiarity meant, but was at once amused and
delighted by the envy it aroused in others. Yet
all the while the Princess Barnabas was not de-
voting single serious thought to one of her
admirers. Every idea in that vain and foolish
head was centered upon the one query, "Shall
commit suicide next week. and If so, how"
1t was while in this frame of mind, talking to
twenty people, and thinking of none of them,
that her bright eyes, wandering lightly over the
crowded room. Glanced to fall upon Young
man who was standing. somewhat removed
from the press of the throng, in a window re-
tall, grave, selfpOssessed young man, suffi-
GENTLY good-lOoking to be called handsome by
an enthusiastic a, friend When the Princess
bright clever eyes, were fixed ON her with
look of half-humorous contemplation. The mo-
ment, however, their eyes met he turned his
head slightly, and resumed a conversation with
gray-haired old man with a red ribbon at his
buttonhole, whom she knew to be a foreign
diplOmatist. The young mans gaze had ex-
pressed an interest in the Princess, but it
seemed to be Just as interested in the pale,
Barnabas seemed piqued. "Who is that young
man?'' she asked, halffretfully, of the Secretary
(Which young MANI" The Secretary ofState's
stolid face gazed vaguely into the dense crowd
OF dress coats and white shoulders, of orders and
stars and diamonds.
THE young man in the window talking to the
gray-haired man."
The Secretary put up his eye-glass and con-
sidered the young man in question thought
fully. He was never known to hurry in his
judgments or his replies in Parliament, and he
Barnabas who was interrOgating him. and not
member of the Opposition. Then he answered
aso
Sinclair: He is going out to the East, or some
thing. Why do you ask?'
II should like to know him. Bring him to
me; or stay, give me your arm, we will go to
him
She rose and dispersed her little knot of dis
consulate cOurtiers. Taking the Secretary's arm
she moved slowly toward the window where
Sinclair was still standing. The Secretary
touched him on the arm. ''Mr Sinclair, the
Princess Barnabas has expressed desire to
make your acquaintance. Allow me, Princess,
to introduce you to Mr.. Julian Sinclair"
The young man bowed. He seemed little
surprised, but not in the least embarrassed The
Princess smiled brightly at him, and her eyes
were brighter than her smile. "Thank YOU"
she said To the Secretary OF State with pleas
ant little smile, which was meant to convey,
and which did convey, that she had had
enough of him. He promptly disappeared into
the crowd with resigned good humor, bearing
away with him in his wake the elderly red
ribbOned diplomatist
Princess Barnabas and Julian Sinclair were
left alone. She sat down on the couch in the
recess of the window, and slightly motioned to
him with her hand to take his place by her side.
He obeyed silently. The recess of the window
was deep. For the moment they were almost en-
tirely isolated from the shifting, glittering
throng that seethed and drifted around Them
Sinclair kept quite silent, looking into the face
OF the Princess with an air of halfamused in.
quiry. There were few seconds of silence, and
then the woman spoke, beginning, womanlike,
with question.
Have you forgotten me, Mr.. Sinclair?'
The young man shook his head gravely. "No,