Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-03-20
HIS WAX FIGURE.

all of us, had attained eminence, and
we speculated on the honor that we
should elect to receive from gracious
sovereign and a grateful country. Some
chose the Garter, others an earldom,
others a pecuniary grant, but Colonel
Holborow would have none of these.
He poohpoohed them, and bringing his
fist down on the table he declared
''There is only one ildisputable and
supreme mark of greatness"
"And what is that?" asked one of us.
"Why, to be in the waxworks, said
he.
''True, true!" cried, but added sad
ly, ''but it's almost impossible to
achieve unless you commit murder. y
II don't know about that. +" said Jack
Dexter, who had up to that moment
taken no part in the conversation. ''I'm
in waxworks show myself, not in Lon
don, you know, but-well, have any of
you fellows visited Petersburg?"
We all admitted that we had not.
"Ah, then you haven't seen my image"
said Jack regretfully. "It's in Nine.
4ndIIlUOu y idluOuS 6AulUltlOiA
''But, my dear Jack, said the colo
mel, chow in the world did it come
about?"
''It's rather q curious story, said
Jack. 'I'll tell it you if YOU II all prom
Use that it shall go no further. You
won't mind if don't mention names?"
We promised discretion and said that
oh ho onito coticfiod with r
G, or X, Y, 2, or such other symbols as
Jack chose to adopt.
'fWell." he began, "when I was a
few years younger and a good deal more
foolish than I am now-it was before
that affair about Lady Mary Fitzmoine
that I told you of the other day
spent winter at Petersburg, and there
1 made the acquaintance of one of the
most beautiful women who, suppose,
ever lived"
Jack paused to allow the sensation to
take full effect, but we showed no sur
prise, and with q slight frown he con-
tinued:
cpl call her the Princess X.-Prin-
cess Nadia X. She was married to a
grumpy wretch, who held high posi-
tion in the police and treated her, upon
my word, little better than if she had
been nihilist pitied her. must ad
mit-I am among gentlemen-that I
also admired her, and that warm, al
though perfectly honorable, attachment
sprang up between us. Her husband
was, however, savagely and unreason-
ably jealous, and what with him. his
spies and his mother (the worst spy of
alD it was with the utmost difficulty
that succeeded in seeing anything Of
the princess. I dared not to call at her
house more than once a month, and
was driven-positively driven-to
thing for which I entertain the greatest
dislike Twas, say, compelled to make
arrangements which insured my being
present at various places of public re-
sort-picture galleries and the like-at
the times which the princess selected for
visiting them. By these means we were
enabled to enjoy many most charming
conversations, and it was my privilege
to support and sustain the princess III
the very trying circumstances in which
her lot was cast. did this, l need not
say, at very considerable risk. I was
not blind to the danger ran. Her hus
band welded large and secret powers.
Save that l was an English subject.
was entirely powerless against him, and
it would have been long time before
the voice of prisoner in the fortress Of
Peter and Paul reached the ears of the
foreign Office However, took the risk.
Nadia needed me, and that was enough.
''But of all our rendezvous there was
none which we found more convenient
and suitable than Nine. Marribon's
waxworks exhibition. 1t was long
way from the princess residence, in an
unfashionable quarter of the town, and
was frequented mainly by persons who
did not move in society and were quite
unfamiliar with faces as well known in
the great world as those of the princess
and myself. Our only danger arose from
the paaidservants of our acquaintances
and from the police, but by avoiding
the gallery in which the figures of muir
derers and other criminals were exhibit
ed we reduced this peril to minimum
for of course the servants were at
tracted by the criminals, and the police
were attracted by the servants. Our IA
vorite nook was beside a group Of sa-
wants of European reputation and i'm
mediately behind the prime ministers of
Europe. This spot we usually had quite
to ourselves.
"Well, one day we were sitting there.
Poor Nadia had for moment forgotten
her troubles and was talking with the
rare wit and brilliancy which marked
her conversation when she was in good
spirits. was keeping up the ball of
talk as well as could and was gazing,
not, I hope, too passionately, at her in
comparable complexion and magnificent
dark eyes-like deep water seen by
moonlight, they were. Dear, dear!'
Jack paused for moment and took
sip from his glass. We slipped sympa-
thetically, and he regained his COM
posure.
Suddenly, just as l was telling the
princess most interesting occurrence
which had befallen me on the journey
out and brought me into contact with
person whose name you would all know
if l were to mention it, the princess
gave startled little cry.
"What's the matter, my dearest
orirnocsp' 7 asked
'.She pointed to cine other end OF the
gallery.
"'It's my husbands mother, she
whispered. She must have had sus-
picion and followed us. What shall l
dor
"I looked and perceived large and
stately old lady in gold eyeglasses ap-
preaching u.s. There was but one door
to the gallery, and the approach to that
was barred by the princess mother-ln-
law. In another moment she would be
upon us, and although knew her to be
nearsighted 1 could not hope that she
would fail to recognize Nadia. Ii some
thing gere not done at once, we were
ruined. =,
'sNow, I never boast or make mysell
ont cleverer than / am. l admit freely
that | was at my wits end l could do
nothing and think of nothing. Our sal
yation was due not to me, but to tne
quick woman g wit which lay i'll Nadia