The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-05-17

the conciergean argument in favor Of his Intimacy
and together we climb az b'oistene.
its Nine. Sand at home?"
"Madame will be at home IN hall an hour. Mad
anne lust now Is IN her bath. Hut Messieurs are
begged to enter and amuse themselves In the saloon,
the music room, the library--where they WILL"
"So-it is Welt" cries the Cerlllac, stepping with
the assured air of the habitue within the heavy
q Enter, my friend. SO It is that you will become
accustomed TO the atmosphere which George Sand
daily brcathes before you are actually ushered into
There was something unusual about the atmos-
phere. 1t must be admitted. .EIL.
There was heavy odor Of musk seeming the
apartment and the candles shone through the Violet
hued slken shades; there were any number of great
tahes strewn with BOOKS, brc.a.brac and rose
leaves. great pictures representing some Of the
splendors Of Venice in her palmy days, the dreamy
slyered frame. and thousand other things that
grew to know well in days to follow. But, stranger
there foated to us the fragrance Of fresh violets
wonder they were In q Venetian glass on card
bracket, Just above an easel.
Aud lar more fascinatngly attractive than the
splendid oil panngst that covered the walls was that
object which the easel held.
II was VIOLIN violin Of Stradivarius's, fas-
tened nv delicate silver chains and pins to large
plaque Of violet velvet. and written In silver letters
above II were these words:
"Cf doris funle de San Gutdo.f
Ielanced nterrogatvely at de Cerlllac, whose eyes
had followed mine.
"a romance ?" I say.
"ot the most romantic he answers.
"You know it?'
| lightly touch the silent strings.
"May notI? We have half hour
"True. Yes, will tell 1t you. Alexis, mon en-
rant, were George Sand twenty five years younger
should not have brought you here tonight. Why ?
fail victim TO her charms You are Of the spritnei
| pardon me-half efIeminate type to which Chopin.
de Musset, and poor San Guido belonged
81 laugh. Time, mon dInte, VIII lead your poor
young Alexis, perhaps, nearer to the masculine
standard But Of your San Gnido9 Auons'''
the iangaorous passion Of Italy in his dark eyes;
with the eager thirst OF pleasure fresh on his curved,
oSe and with music and in his
the Roman boy came up to Paris From babyhood al
most the violin had been his playthng his friend.
worshipped it as a mistress. remember, myself
hut boy. his debut at the house Of the Duchesse de
was not musicale given in Paris that could be
sldered complete without at least one solo from San
Guido. In the course OF that winter-t was, think,
early In February-I was here in this room when he
was brought by some journalist Of repute to call
upon George Sand. / recall his entrance, with the
was 10 play for her? OF course. Mme Sand stood
yonder leaning in one Of her in,mtable half maecu-
line attitudes against the plano In an instant her
| their prey. San Guido perceptlbly shuddered and
as he raised the massive white hand to his lips the
crimson died ont Of them as though they had greeted
the dead"
"Fate," whisper. "fate"
II
ments he could scarcely articulate, but that was
matter. for Madame, although keenly alive to her
new friends discontinue was Of TOO kindly dspoS,
her roof 10 be long i'll at ease. She spoke first to
| some one else standing near her, thus giving the
nmity, and then with one OF those brilliant ana i'm
petuOus smiles that wrought transformation on
her heavy face she spoke to him of Itay-music-
| George Sand and San Guido were discussing the es-
sence and nature OF that hrebrand 81 the world
| If.aIn Nm In
evil with my Impractical eyes Tor being fat and not
spirtuel had been proof far to Madame's fasci-
Roman youth was Sealed. Very shortly he played
to the guests? No, no. mon r. enI Gau: Solely to the
eaT S sna
score of years. and yet never have listened to such
music as that which poor San GUIDE drew from that
from vase near by cluster of violets and handed
them to him, and with her own hand poured out fol-
III He took the violets and thrust them within his
vest. next to his heart, and with the audacous grace
of twenty. touched the wine glass to George Sands
murmured de CeriiIac, "ior could not but think
upon Chopin and de Musset, two men whose eyes
or brnsh-because of-the lady whose coming We
await"
story Of the Young Roman SGe On. mon cher
"Yes, yes. Well, it was every evening after that
or even very much at peoples houses Where wal
San Guido?' cried Paris; and with its finger on III
ever CHANGED in would ind him here his face The
more ethereal, his eyes the fuller Of the nerce ant
terrible flame that youth burns so reckessly in III
u on think it was really love ?" sayI.
with him? Az true and g nre q love, Alexis, a
one may be allowed to politely question. you know
whether any woman be capable OF love at all; bu
ssUn % his na
dissipation to her--an excitement the like OF which
she could not do well without. an, she seemed Z
her own; for at sight OF her he paed view OF hin
she nushed. II was Indeed, queique chose de non
women In this world who do not count the st-tt
"He renquished his pr0fession?"
"Almost entirely; In fact, very soon ne could no
have forsaken him; his right hand had forgot ii
at her feet, his thin face within his palms; his grea
eyes upturned, drinking IN the strength OF tina
wSa pS s se
ration OF his own soul-soft, lethargic me0dles-s
that 1t seemed as II with her power she had lulle
his very genius into narcotic sleep. lie was neve
seen Without violes In hisbutonniere, and HIS Who'll
life was absorbed, dissolved by hers. ] fancy to
trine weary OF this This hoy. maybe, lacked Chic
pins ire or the poets brain She urged him to pla
e ns sss se
in san Gnidos hands as in mine or yours"
"You do not mean lilerally?" cry l..
u, Nv, =, ,ano,i . ". ,aimea ~,
tas fn, n,1 " n pe bi hn on ,
denien, san uuluo coulu no, uIaw MS DOW uhies
Nine; SANDS eyes were upon hiin'
"Wel, WE'LL. .,.o a, o,,,.. ,..s Nm, a.. =.
"Ihying 'neIe,oIe III o,hel honses hau 70
abandoned l.ayine III public? An yes--ior MN.
SAND promised 10 oe present u. seIies OF nohcerl
which II WAS arranged should be given a. the SAL
plegel, In,s was ~ hpriii ,usta, Eas,erae' ! Say
MN hs a n ,h h nas n.,y ~ on ,i
forenoon ul 'me uay W .e nIst conue, VI tue sefle
, There was little OF the old boyish bloom on HI
faoc-a MISS perhaps, eI tueIe ~ .ne SWEEP Drcat
OF spImg. .is uain eyos ooheu maply. lle'nougl
perchahce ol lhe picasure ~ STORE loI nin--that
plhylnR ne,oio a HIeM Iarslau auulcnue once MOI
and Win ihe INSPIRATION OF her presence,
m,en, IT,, Sa Ut. ine sa,on was meu 10 ove