The critic. (Washington, D.C.) 1890-1891, 1891-03-12

n COlOncl III tDe RUSSian army
and the husband of young and very
beautiful wife. The lady has two brothers,
one in diplomacy and the other an officer
in the Russian navy. They were both on
leave and on u VISIT to the Countess +. at
Berlin. The Englishman was on intimate
terms with the Pryzenskis and rather too
much with the Countess, Berlin scandal
mongers averrcd.
A ball was given at Potsdam, to which
the Countess, her two brothers and the
Englishman were invited. The latter
drove TO the ball with the Countess in a
brougham. In the middle of the festiv.
ties the Countess suddenly complained Of
feeling FAINT, which she ascribed to the
heat and begged her husband to allow her
TO go home. The Englshman politely
offered to escort the Countess home, re-
marking that he, too, had quite enough of
the ball. The offer was accepted. When
the pair arrived ut the residence of the
Countess in Berlin he was invited by the
latter to go IN. Heaccepted and waited in
the drawing-room while the Countess
went to her room to exchange her ball
dress for q tea gown.
About ten minutes later the Countess
maid, Russian, who afterward deposed
TO the fact, was sent by her mistress to
ask her English guest to come to her bou-
doir for the purpose of inspecting an OBJ
to see. Half an hour later, when the
husband came home and attempted to
enter his wife's boudoir, the door was
locked from the inside, and on yielding to
the impatient onslaught of the suspicious
spouse, he saw the Englishman standing
near the sofa, upon which the Countess
crouched with her face buried in her
hands. In his hand was the key of the
door. There was second or two OF
a \. ..xI 4, l..l,
man, pale but firm, made q statement ex-
onerating the Countess from all blame
and assuming the entire responsibility for
his presence and the locked door. The
admission was made to the Count and the
two brothers of the Countess standing in
the doorway, the indignant witnesses of
their sisters disgrace.
Thereupon the Count drew revolver,
and the EDglshmap, after summoning
not being complied WITH seized chair
and, .whirling Il around made dash for
the doorway. The onset was made with
such desperate suddenness that the trio
fell back and the staircase was gained. As
the fugitive leaped headlong down the in
cline the Count fired three shots, one OF
which took effect, but not seriously, and
the fugitive made good his escape.
Naturally duel followed. The weapons
were pistols. At the first shot the English
man was desperately wounded. II reeled
and fell to the ground, but by supreme
effort managed to raise himself on one
knee, and in that position fired and shot
his opponent dead. While taking aim he
had his hand tightly pressed against his
wound, from which the blood was flow
ing, and directly after firing the shot he
rolled over unconscious to the ground.
For some time afterward he wavered
between life and death. He is said to
have fought many duels. but is by no
means n tire-eater. The scandal-mongers
pretend that love was chiefly on the side
of the Countess, and ii is said that the
lady's sudden indisposition at the ball was
due as much to jealousy as to the warmth
of the atmOspherc,