Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-12-16

anu tueu pduoibB, ooWSo "So'hs
"Gentlemen," he began. II thank you
most earnestly for doing me this honor.
l have invited you here to show you
how mysterious an agency music is, and
how little the supernal attributes Of 1t
are understood. If you are in sympathy
with my purpose and will maintain not
only that sympathy, but the utmost
silence, / will endeavor to demonstrate
to some of the seemingly wonderful
phenomena of this most subtle power of
the universe"
A moment later he began playing.
After few prelusive notes, he filled
the room with melody 50 soft and so
fantastic that the sense of all of Guido's
guests seemed euchained. Then he led
them into descriptive music which ex-
planned itself and ITS story as clearly as
If the succession of marvellous themes
had been accompanied by words. Night,
day, storms, battles, sorrow, Joy, peace,
woe, everything in life ana in nature,
was delineated by the perfect strokes of
that master bow. This ended with
soft, tremulous, sobbng little melody,
whose last note was sigh. As it be-
came more and more subdued, the light
began burning lower and lower. When
it ceased, the last faint, fckering gleam
of light went with it.
With the darkness followed a brief
silence, which was only broken by the
sound of the storm outside, which the
thick wall of the palace did not wholly
exclude. After few moments the
music, now weird, menacing and wrath
| full, recommended. 1t seemed to fill not
only the whole room, but the whole
palace. 1t was in the air above them;
it was in the floor under their feet; it
was before them, behind them, in their
midst; it echoed an reverberated
throug hout all the corridors and cham
bers of the palace. All of Guido's
guests were awed and surprised, but
the Counts teeth were chattering.
Stronger and louder became the music
until alter tremendous outbrust of
passionate eXultation it relapsed into
subdued and quivering wall. Then
there was a faint sputtering sound at
the point where Guido was standing
when the light went out. Following
this sound pale blue hosphorescent
glow manifested itself at the same point.
Gradually the light became brighter
until in its midst Guido once more be-
came apparent to his guests. An i'm
mense cauldron seemed standing at his
feet, and from it emanated the blue
light and soft undulating clouds of vapor
which wreathed and curled about him
with the awful sinuosity of evil spirits
or serpents. In his right hand was a
naked sword, which he was slowly
waving to and fro through the vapor.
The music still continued. but from
whence it came not one of Guido's
guests could tell. 1t seemed every
where; now filling he whole palace and
now sweeping up and down the room.
or up and down the palace, as if all the |
spirits of melody and sound were united
in one general sportive chase.
The blue light grew brighter, filing |
the whole room with its sinister glare
only to 60 out altogether when its in.
tensity was binding, leaving the room |
once more in inky darkness. But only |
for moment. The menacing music |
ended with the light, and was almost
instantly succeeded by dirge, at
whose inceptive note the cauldron at
Guido's feet sent out dull red blaze,
MAXI G the somber black hangings of
the chamber glsten like the dark and
frightful walls Of charnal house.
Still old Guido stood behind the
cauldron waving his cleaning sword.
Suddenly he changed his regular move
ments into sharp inclusive sweeps, each
raking a sullen swish, which sounded
like vipers hiss. And, also, with each
downward movement of the sword the
color of the fire in the cauldron changed.
The effect was SO terrible that Guido's
other guests were moved aud startled
nearly as much as the Count.
When crimson flames came from the
the colors. Guido then stepped to the
right, and resting the point of the sword
on the floor, crossed his arms over the
hilt and bowed his head.
The music had changed with each
color, and with the final transition into
crimson the weird melody merged into a
mournful, stormy future. When this
had continued for few seconds Guido
suddenly raised his right hand.
"Behold!" he exclaimed, and directly |
over the cauldron landscape appeared.
1t was an opening in an old and beauti-
full forest. In the foreground an old man
was walking with young and beautiful |
woman. They were smiling and happy. |
Suddenly three men sprang out of the
underground, and one of them stabbed
the old man. He fell dead, and the
three bore the woman away. Then the
scene changed from the green forest to
salon. The murderer was there and so
was the abducted woman. She was in
deep agony, and he was laughing her
misery into scorn. Snatching a dagger
up from table she buried it in her
bosom. As this scene faded the Count
sprang to his feet.
"Go no further?" he cried. l confess |
all. Guido LAMBERT, kill me if you
will. but show me 10 more of my shame
full crimes?"
"Sit down." commanded Guido, and |
he was obeyed instantly.
The music ceased, but the crimson
glare continued. Guido's sword fell to
the floor with clang.
Listen" he said. 81 have just
shown you how my father and my wife
died. By whose agency l need not say,
that having already been selfconfessed.
Inc same man, not yet satisfied, pursued
me still further with his hatred, which
was the outgrowth of my being his sue.
cessful rival in love. On the morning of
my daughters Oath birthday his hatred
and malice compelled us to leave Flor.
ence. She afterward married, but
eventually died because of the wrong
this man did us. might say more, but
L think from what / have already told |
you it will suffice. He has escaped my
private vengeance many times, and my
horror of the Courts hiHdered my pun
ishing him there. Now, l ask you if he
is not worthy of DEATH"
But one word came through the pale,
cold lips of those twelve grave men.
That word was:
"Yes!"
The just verdict came too late, and
vengeance came to the condemned man
from higher place. The evil genius
of the house of LAMBERT sat dead in his |