Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-27
EUGENIR's RIVAL.
The Beautiful NIistress OF Napoleon III
Countess dc Casticlioue.
-. 81 FraNclAe9 CIroNIeIe.

PARIS, May line countess de tas
tiglione, one Of those ladies who played 4
sensational part during the second EN-
pire, has written and is going to print beI
memoirs. They viii be rich and racy, tol
the Countess knows deal of court life at
the Tuileries and Compiegne and of the
goings on of her own fast sethere in Paris
Even if she tell no more than what actu-
ally passed in her own house 1t VIII DO
Eccentric in her old age-and she Is mol
so very old, either-aud almost forgotten
by that Paris OF which she was once one
of the brilliant beauties. these memoirs
ought to be for Napoleon III. what those
of Nine Du Barry were for Louis Nv
And they viii be, il she writes as she
talks. Her father, the Marquis Oldoino,
was an attache OF the Spanish embassy in
Paris. and her husband, the Count Francois
Verasis de Castiyione, was an Italian
nobleman Of great wealth, whom she soon
ruined by her extravaganza. At the time
OF his marriage be was IN the diplomatic
career, but after the loss Of his fortune be
became secretary to Victor Emanuel, the
King OF Sardinia. When she came TO
Paris the Countess was in her 10th year.
That was in 1850. and unfortunately, as
she has always declared. she came too
late. for had she done 50 a few years ear
ller perhaps she-and not Eugene de
MCntijO-wOuld have been selected by
Napoleon III. to share his newly estaJ-
lished throne. Not being able to become
the mistress of the Tuileries, she con-
tented herself with becoming that Of its
master, whom she fairly brought 70 her
ieet at fancy ball given at the palace,
where she appeared IN the costume Of
SalammDo. with N. Raynold de Choiseul
dressed as a page holding up her train.
THE INNOCENT EMPRESS.
The imperial lialsou soon became known
to every body in Paris except the Empress.
Napoleon used 10 arrive in plain coupe,
which would drive up in front Of the Office
OF John Arthur. an English house agent,
who failed under shady circumstances
last year. and whose wine cellar is anus
ingly described in one OF Daudet's books.
The Emperor on stepping from his car
rage would pass through this office and
out By a back door into a sort Of alley
communicating with the vestibule Of the
house in which the Countess lived. One
CAV n. Pietri, chief OF police, discovered
that some Italian complementary were
the same who, led by Orslni and ID Rudio,
a few weeks later attempted to destroy
the Emperor by exploding an Internal
to the door Of the Opera-had arranged to
lie in wait for him 10 this alley. NJ. Pietri
was unable 10 find any one about the
court who would undertake TO beJray
their knowledge of his intrigue by warn
ing Napoleon, and. at last. suppOsing that
the Empress was quite we'll posted in re-
gard to her husbands carvings on, he
went and told her all about his discovery.
Eugene sent for Napoleon; there was a
D. srey. r,r.If efrafr
10 the Rue Castigli0ne; only, however. TO
ride out 70 the Rue de Ia POmpe, where a
pretty little house had been fitted up for
his ben 0mies. This street is almost at
the very edge Of the Bots de BOulOgne.
The Countess did not quit her residence
in the Rue CastigliOne for this little box
at Passy, and it was only used as a,place
Of rendezvous by the two lovers whom
Eugene had tried in vain to separate. A
few years later she did give up her resi-
dence and went to live in the Avenue
Montaigne, but she soon found that that
was too far out and returned into the
heart Of Paris. taking a house not eX-
actly in the old street. but just were IT
ends, in the Place \ endOme.
RECEIVED IN SOCIETY.
Nor could Eugene keep her out Of So
ciety-for, mind you, she was living with
her husband all this time, and had the
entree as the wife of one attached 10 the
italian court. She was at this time a
most seductive woman. Her eyes were
magnificent, her nose delicate, the mouth
small, the hair admirable, the neck and
shoulders ravishing. In those days La
CastigliOne seems to have been a courte-
san, like Aspasia she was proud of her
charms, and concealed Just as little Of
them as was necessary in order to secure
admission into social gatherings. / am
afraid she WAS not true to the Emperor,
for she used to 20 alone to see Nieuwer-
kerke, superintendent of fine arts, and at
that time lover of the Princess Mathilde,
and pass hours with him in his private
apartments at the DOuyre, drinking tea.
eating cakes, etc. Nieuwerkerke always
swore that there was nothing between the
Countess aud himself, because, as he said,
he had no desire to compromise his posi-
tiOn with the Emperor and the Princess
Mathilde; but for all that most people
used TO believe there was an improper in
timacy between him and the Countess,
and his friends said that it was rashly i'm
prudent on his part TO thus receive her at
The Louvre. She expressed desire to 90
one evening and hear the clocks of all the
parishes in Paris strike midnight, which
wish was gratifed few days later, when
she spent the best part Of the night on
the immense roof OF the Louvre with her
friend.
JEALOUSY OF EUGENE.
The Empress was becoming more and
more jealous OF the Countess, and, finally,
at 81. Cloud, where certain sOverelgns
had gone 10 pay visit OF courtesy, the
feeling of bitterness eliminated in "a
grand scandal. When the sOyeregns en-
tered the room all Of the ladies' present
arose from their seats, with the single ex-
ception OF Nine. de CastigliOne; there
upon Eugene went TO the Emperor and
declared that she would stand il no longer
and would leave at once for Scotland. The
next day while holding council, Napo-
leon received a message from his wife TO
the effect that she intended 10 come in and
explain In person 20 the ministers the
reasons which prompted her abrupt
departure. The Emperor sent one
OF his chamberalns to stop her,
and he authorized that Official 10
resort 10 any means that might
be necessary in order 10 prevent her ful.
filling her threat. The chamberlain. find
ing eloquence Of no avail, quietly left the
room and turned the key in the lock
Eugene, noticing that ner bell remained
unanswered, set the window curtains on
hre. In the meantime the Emperor had
dismissed the ministers and be now came
IN person 10 relieve his wife and thank the
chamberlain, which he did most warmly.
Tor having 80 literally carried out his ord
A 40 ~.