Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-09
the pressure OF Heinr,cn's nand.

glimpse of his mistress between the dainty
boots and shoes that were symmetricalIy
arranged on the brass rods In the window;
but the fog had silvered the glass with It's
moist breath, and he could only disttn-
guish confused silhouette; then, taking
heroic resolution, he turned on his heel
and went, with deliberate step, to the Inn
Of the Two Headed Eagle.
That night there was a numerous COM
pany at the Two Headed Eagle; the guests
were of the most mixed description The
Two Headed Eagle was one OF those
blessed cellars celebrated by Hoffman,,
with steps so worn, so greasy, so slippery,
that you can not put your foot upon the
first one without at once finding yourself
at the bottom, with your elbows on the
table, pipe in your mouth, between
pot of beer and measure Of new wine.
Through the thick cloud OF smoke, that
almost choked and blinded you at first, all
sorts of strange figures appeared after a
few minutes. There were Wallachians
with their cafetan and Astrakhan cap,
Servians, Hungarians with their black
mustaches, caparisoned with doimans and
embroidery; BOhemians with coppery com
DLS4lOl5, udITOW lOECuctSlo duu d1ShCO
noses; honest Germans with laced coats;
Tartars with eyes turned up like those OF
Chinese; all imaginable populations. The
east was represented by fat Turk coiled
up in corner and peacefully smoking a
pipe of Moldavian cherry wood, with
bowl Of red clay and mouth piece Of yell
low amber
Everybody was eating and drinking; the
drink consisted Of strong beer and mix
ture Of new red wine with old white wine;
the food of slices of cold veal, ham or
pastry.
Round the tables turned Increasingly
one Of those long German waltzes which
produce upon northern imaginations the
same effect as hasheesh and opium on the
Orientals; the couples passed and repassed
rapidly; the women, almost faintlng with
pleasure on the arms Of their cavaliers, to
the sounds Of a waltz, swept away with
their skirts the clouds Of smoke and re-
freshed the faces of the drinkers. AT the
counter some Morlaccan impreyisators,
accompanied by player upon the guzla,
were reciting q sort of dramatic complaint
which seemed greatly to divert dozen
strange figures, clothed in sheepskin and
coifed with tarboukhs.
Heinrich went TO the end Of the cellar
and sat at a table where were already
seated three or four personages Of Joyous
mien and merry hUmor.
''Ah, Heinrichr' cried the eldest of the
band; mind yourself, my friends; f@num
habet in cornu. You know you had
truly diaboEcal look the other night; you
almost frightened me. Who would think
that Heinrich, who drinks beer as we do,
and who does not draw back before q
slice OF cold ham, could put on such
venomous, wicked and sardonic airs, and
that with a single gesture he can make a
whole theatre shudder?"
''Eh? why that is the reason Heinrich
is a great artist sublime comedianl
There is no glory in playing role that is
in your character; the triumph, for a CO.
quette, is to excel in playing ingenues.
Heinrich sat down modestly, called for
a large glass of mixed wine, and the con-
versation continued on the same subject.
On all sides it was admiration and COM
pliments.
''Ahl If the great Wolfgang Goethe had
seen your said one.
'.Show US your feet" said another; az
am sure you have cloven hoof"
The other drinkers, attracted by these
explanations, looked at Heinrich seri-
ously, all happy 10 have the opportunity
of examining closely so remarkable a
man. The young men who had formerly
known Heinrich at the university, and
whose names he hardly knew, came up to
him and shook him cordially by the hand,
as if they had been his intimate friends.
The prettiest valseuses as they passed
shot at him the tenderest glances Of the
blue and velvety eyes.
One man only, seated at neiehboring
table, seemed TO take no part in the gen.
eral enthusiasm; his head thrown back
ward, he was drumming distractedly
with his fingers on the crown of his hat a
military march, and from time TO time he
uttered a sort OF humph, singularly dubi-
Gus.
The aspect of this man was of the
strangest, although he was dressed like
an honest burgher Of Vienna, enjoying a
modest fortune; his gray eyes were shaded
with green tnlts, and shot out phosphOric
lights like the eyes of a cat. When his
pale, fiat lips parted, they showed two
rows of teeth very white, very sharp, and
very wide apart, Of the most cannibalistio
and ferocious aspect; his long nails,
shining and curved, took vague appear
ance of claws; but that physiognomy ap-
peared only by rapid flashes; to the eye
that watched him ixedly, his face rapidly
resumed the bourgeois and debonair ap-
pearance OF retired Viennese merchant,
and you felt astonished that you could
have suspected of villainy and deyiltry
face so vulgar and trivial.
Internally Heinrich was shocked at the
Indifference Of the man. That disdainful
silence took away their value from the
panegyrics which his noisy companions
lavished upon him. II was the silence of
an old and experienced connoisSeur, who
does not allow himself to be deceived by
appearances.
Atmayer. the youngest of the company,
the warmest admirer of Heinrich could
not endure this GOODNESS, and addressing
the strange man, as if taking him TO bear
witness to an assertion that he advanced,
he said
rs it not so, sir, no actor has ever
played the role Of Mephistopbeles better
than my comrade heres"
"Humphr' said the stranger, flashing
his green eyes and cracking his sharp
teeth. Mr.. Heinrich IS a young man of
talent, whom / esteem very highly; but
he is wanting in many things necessary
TO play the role of the devil
And suddenly drawing himself up:
'Have you ever seen the devil, NJ. Helm
rich?"
He put this question IN such strange
and mocking tone that ell the company
felt shudder run down their backs.
THAT however, would be necessary
for the truthfuiness Of your play. The
other evening was at the theatre Of the
Corinthian Gate, and was not satisfied
with Your laugh; it was, at the utmost, n
srr l,--b Ny 6aar Mr. Hai1rfch this IL