Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-06-04
VASSILrI.

: older; his hard, handsome face worn
and lined by dissipation; q bad man,
free to crafty every bali insane caprice
and ruling ~despoticallY over thousands
OF souls. Such must have been serge
Ste~phanOvich.
Although il was nearly noon when l
went down stairs next day into the din
ing room, neither my host nor my fel-
low-guests had as yet put In an appear
ance; and I walked 10 the end OF the
room where hung q portrait l had no.
ticed the evening before and wished
10 inspect more closely. It was a fairly
well painted portrait OF an extremely
handsome woman, wearing a white,
scanty initiation OF the Greek costume
Her features were aQuiline and perfect
ly regular; she had bright red lips ana
unnaturally large dark eyes; a red
Rauze scarf hung from her shoulders,
and leaning one shapely bare arm on a
marble balustrade, she held a rose be-
tween her taper fingers. IL would have
been a conventional portrait from the
| look OF beauty, but for the strange,
wild. almost fierce expression OF the
woman's black eyes. Where else
had I seen eyes OF which these reminded
me?
Becoming aware Just then that some
one was standing behind me, l turned
and saw old Vassili, who, bowling low,
expressed a hope that / had slept well.
l had been learning Russian for the last
three years, and could speak 1t with toll
cradle luency. l answered that l had
slept admirably, and asked whether he
could tell me who the portrait above
represented.
Certainly I q tell your Excellen-
CIV" said the old man with a faint smile.
s.That is the Signora Maria Fiordilisa,
and she was once a great singer; she
lived here q great many years ago, In
the lifetime Of the blessed Serge
StephanoVitch-may his soul have
p~eace!'
Was il my fancy, or was there a
touch OF represSed sarcasm in the old
mans low, soft voice? As this thought
passed through my mind the door OF the
dining room opened and Erisof came in.
What he said with a laugh, when
be had growled out ONE order to Vas
sill, who left the room to obey 1t.
what! has the old fellow been show
ing you his mothers portrsit?"
s.nis mother?" l repeated, half In
credulously, but it struck NE at that
moment to whose fierce, wild ayes those
of the Signora Maria bore 4 strange re-
semblance.
The prince laughed again. "He did
not tell YOU, thenP l thought he might
have. he is a queer old fellow aud
more than half mad, though quite harm
less: the peasants and other servants
saw that he is a sorcerer and has the
evil eye, aud l believe the same thing
was said OF the beautiful Maria, because
she was the only woman who ever kept
her hold over my grandfather. BY the
way, have you ever seen his portrait?
No! Come this way then"
And putting his arm through mine he
led me up some steps into q little ante
chamber. 1t contained but one picture,
and the light from the uncurtalned win
dow fell full on the half-length figure
OF a young man with powdered hair,
wearing a gold laced uniform.
They say l am like him, remarked
Prince Serge.
There was a certain likeness between
Serge S~tephanovitch and his descend
ant, but the former was by far the
handsomer man of the two; his features
were stralghter, less Russian in type,
and much more finely cut, he had a de-
eldedly clear complexion, and long, wo-
manish gray eyes. Something In the
expression of those eyes, the straight
lines. falntiy defined as yet, between
his delicate nostrils and the corners OF
- ---.sL --,r, kha nn1u fnHfaarfnpQ nf
his cruel and voluptuous nature; and
still one felt that TO that beautiful face
man, woman and child must have ap-
pealed for pity in vain.
Erlson stood with folded arms under
his grandfather's porsrait. do you
see the likeness?" he inquired, smil-
ing.
yes, l see it. Your grandfather
must have been a good-loOking fellow"
The handsomeSt man OF his day,
mon cher" said the Prince complacenJ-
ly. "And now let US go to breakfast"
The rain having completely passed
and the sky cleared, when breakfast
was over l expressed a wish for some
fresh air; but my companions all exclaim-
ed at the idea Of leaving the house, and
( had settled cheerfully down for an after
noon at ecarte. IT, said my host,
''you would care for a solitary ride
the roads are not At for driving-a
horse and a man-you want a guide
are, of course, at your disposal"
This offer l eagerly accepted, and
coming out into the court half an hour
later l found the horses waiting, led up
aud down, as 1 saw to my surprise, by
VasSlll, who, after l had mounted,
swung into his saddle with more activi-
W than l should have expected from so
old a man. We were soon riding rapid
~ away from Paulovsk, side by side, as
l meant 10 have the benefit Of Vassili's
society. He had aIked in which dirsc-
tiOn l wished 70 ride. aud I had anSw-
cred that l left the choice TO him. Lit
tie by little we entered into converse
ton, and, though at first as he
answered my questions the old man
shot at me now and then a swift, sus-
piciOus glance, after a time he gained
enough confidence and assurance to
volunteer remarks of his wi Struck
by the wretched appearance OF some
novels by the roadside, l inquired
whether the Princes estate was well
looked after In his absence.
1.-THE steward, Vassili replied, 'looks
well after his own interests. His Ex-
cellency only comes here for a few
weeks In the year, and then be cares
for nothing but the chase" Then, sn-
Swering all my questions with apparent
frankneSS, be gave me information
which made me exclaim in amazement:
but why do you not tell the Prince
how shamefully he is deceived and
rObbed?"