The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-11-06
Sacher MasOch's Adventure.

A singular adventure once befell
Sacher Masoch, the Galician novelist.
1t occurred some time after the publca-
ton of one of his stories, in which a
Polish count takes great fancy to a
very young man, introduces him into
his house, teaches him, develops his in
tellect, INDUCES with the lad in long
philosophical discourses, and suddenly
discovers he is woman, with the same
result as in Lamartine's "Jocelyn."
When the tale had appeared some
weeks the author received an anonymous
letter, written in flowing and cultured
hand, proposing a similar spiritual re-
lationship, but stating that the sex of
the writer precluded any denouement
of the kind limited at in the story. The
last sentence was an earnest appeal for
compassion and an entreaty to comfort
"a sorely wounded soul, even then de-
spairingly brooding on suicide. Not
withstanding the assertion of his cor
respondent, the Galician persuaded
himself that he had to deal with
woman, and his romantic Imagination
caught fire. He answered the letter.
a second epislle gave him rendezvous
in small Syrian town, on condition
that he would come to the meeting blind
folded, and remain so to the end of the
interview. More and more fascinated by
the situation, Sacher Masoch started
for the appointed place, was introduced
into an apartment consisting of three
rooms, and left alone in the center one.
True to his engagement, he produced a
handkerchief and bound it tightly over
his eyes. Almost at once voice at his
side said in French, " Merci." Alas!
il was Enthusiastically a mans voice,
voice gentle, musical and strong,
speaking with refined information and
well-marked Bavarian accent. AL
though bitterly disappointed at not
finding the woman he expected, Sacher
Masoch soon fell under the charm of
his interlocutor's earnest pleadings,
and ended by accepting the mission of
redeeming angel. For a whole year,
during several interviews that took
place in different places, he had the
consistency to remain blindfolded in
the presence of the unknown. The
meetings were supplemented by long
letters, dated variously from Vienna,
Paris, Stockholm, and other cities.
paper stamped with a ducal coronet,
and contained metaphysical and psy-
Geological dispositions, but, much to
the recipients chagrin, were signed
with the ridiculous, grotesque name of
"Anatole." AT last a day came when
the mysterious stranger authorized the
Galician to remove the handker-
chief and look at him. Sacher
Masoch saw tall handsome man
with regular features and melan-
choly expression, who stretched out his
hands to him urging him to give up his
present pursuits and surroundings in
order to attach himself entirely to his
person, to undertake the task of saving
him from overwhelming despair, and
who added that by doing so he would
not only be generous, but reap wealth,
power and even greatness. Sacher
Masoch was dazzled for one moment,
but, suddenly remembering the wife and
son he loved so profoundly, he begged
for time before giving definite answer.
When the answer came it was a CRATE
full but positive refusal. A little later,
in Vienna, the novelist was carelessly
looking at some photographs in sta
toner's window, when he was struck
by one which was telling likeness OF
"Anatole -; under it was printed, I" II.
NJ. Louis H., King of Bavaria" He
understood it all. The poor, solitary,
fancy.haunted monarch had attempted
to win literary Wagner, who would
remain forever at his side, as he had
already won a musical one. Who
knows what might have happened, or
been averted if the author of 1.-THE
White Lady of Machow had yielded
to that wish, and devoted himself to dis
polling the morbid Authorizations of his
royal friend, and if Louis ii. would
have sought the answer to his morbid
doubts and unsatisfied longings in the
waters of the Lake of Berg?