Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-12
MERLATTI AND SUCCI,
Some of the Pomp and Circumstance
of Fasting.
From the London World.

from the L0ndOn WOriG.
The mystery of Signor Stefano Merlatti
and the secret of Signor Giovanni Succi
excite Just now far more interest at Paris
than the Bulgarian crisis, the resignation
of one of the Ministers, the giant at the
Folies Bergere or even La Revanche. The
Figaro boldly declares that ''le secret de
Succi est en- ce moment Ia seule, Punique,
la palpItante question qui agite Popinion
puDliQue tout entiere;" and in conse-
Quence everybody has gone or is going to
No.2 Rue Gluck, where Succi is preparing
for his next fash, or to No. SO on the ground
floor of the Grand Hotel, where Merlatti
has not tasted food for nearly a fortnight
There is no difficulty in seeing either OF
them. Merlatti lives in a suite of apart
ments which would let easily at S0f. a
day. The ante chamber is 1ull of "doc-
tors' and "watchers," and he sits gener-
ally in his bedroom, on sofa at the foot
OF his bed. A table before him is covered
with medical instruments, books, glasses
and large test tube full of filtered water
He is spare, good-looking, olive CON-
pleXoned. clean shayen youth of %,
with deep-set, piercing black eyes and
bushy eyebrows, which meet over his
Lose. He looks like a priest, but is
painter by profession; shows no visible
sign OF weakness; speaks in fairly good
! English, and in a low, musical voice of
former last, accomplished in Great Port
land street; says ne learned to do without
food wnen ne ran away from school, and
is confident that he shall 'Edo" his fifty
days in spite OF the doctors and the I'M
believers. There are many doors in Mer-
lattPs room, and the salver "suggestive.O
T bearing a few gold coins, DISPLAYED
mOdestly at the entrance, reminds you
strangely of the hat and coat room at the
Albion.
There is good deal more "pomp and
circumstance observable in the sur
rOunulngs OF Succi, who inhabits hand
some entresol overlooking the Grand
Opera. A servant, In irreprOachable
black, admits you to a room rich In gilt
chairs and yellow damask upholstery.
Succi is a vivaciOus little man, Of a some
what cadayerous cast of countenance,
and an odd trick of Shaping his thin legs
when talking of his exploits. He is much
older than Merlatti, has travelled all over
the South OF Africa, learned English in
Zanzibar and the Cape. and discovered
Tie secret" liquid during his wander
in $. he holds out triumphantly the
prOcessi veruai of his fasts at Forli and
Milan, bound IN vellum, attested by
nOtarles, and signed by scores
of doctors and notables, and points
proudly to his motto: La verita non 81
uccide." He introduces you successfully
to MS financial agent, CaValiere Giuseppe
Lamperti, who wears a skull cap and a
rosette, and who was a director of the
Apollo Theatre at Rome; to German
lady amanuenss, with golden hair; TO his
doctor, Barbero BOrghini; and his secre-
tary, Signor MOsca. In one corner of the
room is an enormous pile OF printed and
illustrated copies of the processo verbale
OF the Milan fast; and at one OF the
many tables DR.. Borghini is busy
hlling up invitations to "confer-
ence," which is to precede the
coming trial at Paris. Borghlni talks in
diligently and leatnedly Of the difference
between phenomenal fasting like Merlat-
tbs and scientific fasting like SuccPs:a and
from the depths of a black bag the two
bottles which contain the mysterious no.
tions upon which everything depends are
produced for your Inspection. At present
Succl contesses frankly to the consump-
ton of four Ueefsteaks day, but he SLABS
his legs with enthusiasm wnIle ne listens
10 Borgain's physiology, and when he
speaks OF "A prospective fast which he
means to accomplish some day for the
benefit of his London friends. AS vet the
saiver suggestive" is not to be seen in
the Rue Gluck.