The Washington times., 1895-05-24
The Still8d Harp.
(copyrieht. 1s9S,

Around the banquet hall sat mobiles,
knights and beautiful women, and over it
presided his majesty, one of the most ec-
centric kings of France Wines of an an
cient vintage filledIjeweled decanters and
sparkled in crystal goblets, exquisite flow
ers were artistically arranged along the
center of the festive board, and the viands
were rich, varied and tempting. Hundreds
or varcolored lights, set in weirdly designed
candelabra and FURNISHED sconces, iIlu-
minated the grand dining hall wherein the
merry company were assembled. The king
would Danish all cares of state and be Jolly.
The feast having ended, his highness
rose, and in rather an unsteady voice re-
queSted the guests to remain seated while
the court jester, Antoine, should endeavor
to amuse them with some of his clever i'm
presentations.
Meantime some of us may want another
sip OF wine." concluded his florid majesty
with knowing leer as he resumed his
seat, Antoine in gay, bespangled cos
tune, appeared before the expectant com
pany, bowed with proper Difference and be-
gan his part of the entertainment. While
the accomplished jester was giving his final
imitation the lord chamberlain, a tall, lank
and rather unprepossessing man, tiptoed
in the royal ear: Your most superior
highness, / have the honor TO inform you
that very lovely maiden of the name of
Victorine Fleuret, from the province of
st. Benoit, is waiting in the lobby OF the
palace and would fain seek your imperial
presence for the purpose of exhibiting her
skill on the harp, which instrument she has
brought with her She also brings this
message from the holy cure of her n$1ive
town"
With look of impatience his majesty
unfolded the parchmeutlike communica-
tion handed To him by the lord chamber
lain and with one eye-though he possessed
two-read To himself the following:
To His Most Worshipful Majesty, Greet
ing:
The bearer Mile. yictoriue Fleuret, has
from an early age manifested wonderful
musical gifts. With trepidation and due
modesty becoming her years and maiden
hood she goes TO offer her rare genius to our
most beloved monarch in Christ for even so
much as poor half hour. For the first
time in her life her gentle young feet stray
out of our loyal province, where she has
lived among us highly houorcd and es-
teemed. Your humble servant that writes
this has administered TO her all the holy
Sacraments, and her sins have been all
ina maginary-the ueuroic confessions of su-
persensitive chastity-and have required no
absolution.
l beseech of you, most grand and unex-
ampled sovereign, Ia treat this beautiful
virgin with that magnanimous considera-
tion for which you are so justly celebrated.
Mile Fleuret was betrothed To Pierre
Nicolai, the honest gamekeeper of the Duo
de Nolles. Your Highness may have heard
that the good due was shot and killed
something more than a fortnight ago. In
the darkest part of the dues forest he him
gll : "a Eap n nr a a l.aR
by his faithful ganekceper. Pierre was
arrested and tried The local magistrate
has condemned him To be put TO death on
the / tn day of this present mOuth-in less
than a week tits mot q just sentence
your royal majesty, and may the holy saints
interpose.
Mad with grief our deserving daughter
comes to you, not as a suppliant for the
pardon OF her lover on the score OF her deep
affection for him, but in the hope that if
perchance she should please your ma jesty
with her music you viii grant To- Pierre
Nicolai another trial under your own in
violable jurisdiction, lat which evidence
OF his innocence of Intentional crime may
not be suppressed. Even the dues valet,
Matthew Wereau, believes mademoisele's
lover guiltless of malicious murder, and he
has personally borne her harp on his should
ers to your high ma aiesty's threshold.
Allow me to subscribe myself most sub
Seryiently, ~
THE KINGS DEVOTED SERVANT.
'EnoughI' exclaimed the king. I'VE
must all go into the grand salon and hear
the maiden play"
His majesty led the way thither, fol-
lowed by his curious, titled guests. Pres
emily Victorine was summoned before the
royal presence.
AS she stood before his attentive high
ness her lips quivered as though she would
A.
them. She simply bowed with trembling
modesty and seated herself on the carved
oak stool placed in front of the royal seat.
Lightly her Dimble fingers strayed over the
melodious strings of the inst rument-a
present to her from her convicted lover-as
though to make sure that they were in
perfect tune
What gave tothe pale face of the peasant
girl that look of ineffable anguish? Many
who stood about wondered what her sor-
row could be.
And how her fingers began to evoke a
rapturous strain, reminiscent of an old
provincial air. How delicately, how skill
fully she manipulates the stringsl Every
heart there thrills with the music,
which calls up dreams of spring, laughing
skies, fragrant Zephyrs, the twitter of
happy birds, youthful love and hope. The
dulcet measure changes, but not abruptly,
to crescendo of sublime harmony. Again
the fairpe rformer shifts to minor mediant
for moment, eliciting sounds as sad as a
dirge, yet soothing as lullaby. The aged
countess INDUCES in q superstitious shud-
der and tries to look bored Poor woman,
her finer sensibilities have been paralyzed
by time and narcoticS-she is not fit to sit
in Judgment here. His majesty is lost in
wonder and admiration. He gapes at Vic
torine as upon prod1gy-which she is.
A look of seraphic sweetness lights up her
face as she proceeds with this indescribabIe
melody, chiefly an improvisation.
Indeed the harp seems sentient thing
under her magic touch. 1t speaks; it
expounds; it argues in deep symphonious
variations; it commands in a gamut of bass;
it appeals witchingly i'll tenor recitative;
it implores and beseeches in silver-toned
treble intonations.
Oh, what human soul can resist such
touching entreatiesl Is not the voice of
God now speaking through this frail virtu-
oso? What harp ever before vibrated with
such heavenly cadence?
Finally, in one triumphant. miraculous
burst of harmony the player ceases.
Scarcely have her fingers left the strings
when, with low gasp, she falls forward.
The king himself hastens to lift her, and
as he does so her head falls Imply upon
her bosom.
She is dead.
A hush of awe pervades the assemblage. |
Laconically the king, knowing that the |
fair girl has passed beyond the reach of |
earthly aid, murmurs, do not fear, little |
one Pierre Vicolai shall be pardoned"
Alas, Victorine cannot hear the royal |
decree. She has put her whole soul and |
life in the music, and they have fled with |
those last inspired strains-w whittier?
A riding messenger on the folio wing |
was dispatched to ST. Benoit with /
a pardon for Pierre Nicolai, signed by the |
king, and three days later Victorine's
funeral was held in the old cathedral of
her native village.
Strange to relate, from the moment of |
the maiden's death her harp could never
be made to emit q single musical sound.