New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-28
A MAGNIFICENT CHATEAU.

-. hatoau In France than that OF Val
encay he principal seat or the heau OF 'ne
family The latter is n nobleman VINO may NC
described as many-sided in more senses 'hah
ono fer not only does he occupy as prominent
a nositon in the peerage of Germany as ne
docs IN that Of France. but he is, when at Der
lin unite as enthusiastic and patriotic frus-
sian as he is a thoroughgoing Frenchinah "'en
either at Paris Vaencay He was one u
the most intimate friends OF the late Empires
Aucusta Of Germany and likewise a particular
fayorite of her husband, Emperor "liHdih'
and while in France he bears the title OF Duke
Of Taleyrand In Germany he styles himseH 'he
Duke of sagan. a title inherited from his mother
who was a member of the princely house OF
pironCouflenNe 1t was transformed into
dukadon, nv letters patent of King FREDERICK
William " of Prussia, which were SUISSE
ouentlv confirmed by his successor, the Ia'e
Emperor William.
Born in the Same year as the hins vi hoi'e
that ill-fated son of the great Naloieoh' 'iie
Duke is in every sense of the WORD repre-
sentative Of the grand-seigneCr or the a"0ieh
rhpime His men is very imposing, his con-
yersation brilliant and full of interest lie was
the favorite nerhew of the great statesman
Prince Talleyrand. from the windows or whose
ralace in the Rue st. Florentin-an ABODE no"
tenanted by Baron Alphonse Rothsohhd-he re-
men,bers watching the various phases of the
revolution Of July, which drove hihs O'laiieS
X into banishment and placed King Louis
Philppe upon the throne of France. n hhSht
Of the Golden Fleece and possessing the grand
cross. not only Of the Legion of Honor but also
of the Prussan order Of the Black Eagle the
Nuke has further intensified the duplex char
acter If his nationality and Of his PATRIOTISM by
his second marriage. His first wife was a sister
of the last Due de MOntmorency, u'le no"
borne by rs second son: while his second WlIe
was the widow of that Count HatZfeidt VINO
for so many years represented PRUSSIA at 'he
court of the Tueres Her maiden name was
Pauline de Castelane. She was the dauSh-
ter of the famous Marechal de Castellane,
and among the children OF her flrst mar
rage is the wife of Baron Won Saurma'
who now occupies the post or German
Ambassador at Washington. Nor Is this the
or,v connection which the Duke and Duchess
Of Talleyran6-Sagan may be said to possess win
America. There are two New-York girls who
are entitled to bear the name of Talleyrand'
while q third is welded TO the brother Of that
pIncesse de Sagan whose husband, the silvery-
haired ting of Parisian "chic' and modern
AIcibiades Of the F-ench capital, is the heir to
the many titles and vast estates, both In Ger
many and France. of the old Duke
OF the Duchess it may be said without cal
umny that she has inherited the somewhat
trooper-like manners and characteristics OF her
father Remarkably clever and sprltuelle, she
is excessively masculine in her conversation ana
gestures both being marked by a brusquere
which would be tolera ted In no one but herself
The RECONCILIATION of frankness, she speaks OUT
her mind to every ore--to relatives, TO lilehus
and enemies: calls a spade a spade without the
t. off, NJ X
pressions that verge on coarseness and Kills
reputations and the social prestige OF people
whom she dislikes with the same sang-frold
that she would shoot a stag or wild boar IN her
Silesian forests Nothing ridiculous ever es-
capes her. and she is quick TO note the slightest
shortcomings Of her neghbor Withal' she is d
good-hearted woman. incapable OF any precoh-
ceived unkndness, and so amusing that one IN
yariably forgives the intemperance or her IAN
guage in consequence of it's astonishing Will
ness She, too, shares the double nationality Oh
her husband, being as thoroughly Prussan at
Berlin as she is 2 Parisenne in France. No
better illustration need be afforded of this pc
cular characteristic of the great house of
Talleyrand Perigo1d than by calling attention
tn the fact that while N 1870 one of its men,
hers the Due de Dino distinguishing HIM
self by his gallantry in the ranks Of the French
Army his brother was occupying an important
position on the staff Of Field Marshal Won Moltke.
Valencay lies, so to speak on the limits OF the
poetica Department of Berry and on that or
Touraine. which mas been chrstened the garden
of France" Backed by dense forests, where
wolves and bears and wildboars hide in tangles
of bracken giant ferns and wild clemaus. ana
where countless deer crouch under high cano-
pies Of pines ard oaks, the stately building Is
throned on a gently sloping hill Of smooth-cut
laoIH .-t lot Of
The surrounding gardens are imposing IN the
extreme fountains parterres, terraces. statues
and clipped walls of bay and lick trees making
them look like haunted grounds.
The chateau is in pure Renaissance style and
looks fantastical and fairy-like when its numer-
GUS colonnades OF granite. its huge staircases
descending to the grande cour dhonneur. It's
steep roof and It's bastions and battlements' are
tinted by the glow Of the setting sun or sill
vered BIZ the soft rays Of the moon. The road
leading to Valencay through Chateauroux and
Levrox is of peculiarly melancholy aspect.
Bordered on both sides by hedges of pale-yellow
blooming furze and by banks Of ferns, it over
looks endless and monotonous plains. But sud-
Denly valley opens before ones eyes giving
the impression Of an oasis in the desert On the
west slope Of the hills encircling IL tower the
cupolas ard lace-like bastions Of Naloncay. A
magnificent avenue leads to the monumental
iron gates Of the cOur dhonneur, which Is rect
angular in shape. one wing being formed by the
theatre and the other by the truly royal stables
and coachhouses. while a gigantic orangerie
joins them each side. second courtyard Is
In front Of the main residence, and a wide moat,
wherein pond-es and Towering reeds grow,
surrounds the castle and is spanned by draw
bridge OF massive proportions Coonnades of
exquisitely carved granite encircle this inner
courtyard the centre Of which Is filled In by a
parterre of gay-hued flowers, which bears ia
this day the name Of 1.-THE Duchess Garden"
The windows of the apartments once used by
NJ. de Taleyrand's niece, the beautiful Duchesse
de Dino open directly on this fragrant and
shady parterre, where fountains raise their
feathery jets Of water high into the air. and
where ,rescs of roses spread their blossoming
boughs the rich. tropical plants, once the
delight Of the petted court beauty
The interior of Valencay is fully worthy Of its