The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-02-08
THE AFFAIRE CASTELLANE
A Transatlantic Version of Events of |
 Thrilling Cisatlantic Interest

Thrilling Cisatlantlc Interest
 The Bourse and the fashionable
 world were greatly stirred last week by the affairs of Comte Boni de Cas- tellane. The stir shows that falsehood
 can, for a short time at any rate, go faster and further than truth. We
 must now believe, since the Comte's father has written to the papers to say
 so, that the Comte never gambled in
 stocks. The latter being with the
 Comtesse on the Atuantic crossing to
 New York was out of the way of ru-
 mors and reports, and could deny
 nothing So both city and the Bourse
 smile and shrug their shoulders The
 Marquis de Castellane, in denying that
 his son was a defaulter for three thou
 sand francs, wrote a civil letter to the
 Matin, which named him and put dots on all the is. But he wrote an inso-
 lent one to the Figaro which spoke of the alleged default, glozing it over
 somewhat, and withholding the name of the alleged defaulter The Matin,
 being, you see, in peculiar and par
 ticular way connected with M. Wal deck Rousseau, is a dog to which one should throw a bone. The Gaulois, friendly to the Comte, declares that he never "set foot" in tho Bourse. He was not "exccuted' for default. But perhaps he can be sued.
 Comte Boni de Castellane has been for some time in pecuniary difficulties.
 His wife's fortune came to three mill lion sterling, but it is the trustees of Jay Gould's will who will invest it. They paid her on her marriage G1, 1,400,- 000 back interest and the fruits of for tunate investments. This sum she could do with as she pleased. She gave on her marriage four hundred thousand pounds to her husband and bound herself to contribute ten thou sand pounds year to the common ex- posses. She also made magnificent presents to him, to his relatives, to the matchmakers to whom she owed her happiness, for she was deeply in love I with the Comte, and I believe still is. | He is a most attentive husband in French way. Without being too de- monstrative, he is on the alert to pay small attentions and to devote himself cheerfully The devoted French hus- band never seems to think he makes sacrifices or is the slave of duty; he plays the part--for it is part-of one who takes a pride and pleasure in the discharge of his conjugal duties. Humdrum is somehow avoided. The attitude is a good deal that of the knight of old toward the lady whose colors he wore. It is an attitude; but what comes from the head is perhaps more permanent than what comes from the heart. Besides we so adapt the inner being to the part we play that in the long run it becomes para mount.
 M le Comte de Castellane advises his wife as to the manner in which she should dress and act the part of lady of wealth and high quality. She has excellent sense is quite unaffected, and think needs no advice. But she is grateful to him for the interest he shows in her belongings, and her whole income is at his disposal He Is apt to fling away money Nobody could ever suspect him to be the great grandson of the cen. per cent. money lender Greffulhe, whose daughter Ra- chel married Marshal Castellane He bought a splendid yacht a few years ago, and went with the fine flower of Ccsmopolis on a Baltic tour. As he had political ambition, he forced his way into the Chamber of Deputies by dint of gold. The Comtesse paid her footing in society by contributing for ty thousond pounds to raise the Chari ty Bazar from its ashes. Their still unfinished Grand Trianon Palace in the Avenue du Bois de Boulogne was the most costly of the sComte's under takings. It was on the site of the house in which the first Japanese em- bassy that ever came to Paris staid. The Due de Montpensier also lived there some time The De Castellanes bought it soon after their marriage, and decided to build in its place a grand, or grander, Trianon, for their residence has a high basement story on a level with the Avenue du Bois. | The Grand Trianon is built on vaults | only; the grander Trianon is really | two stories high. This enabled the | architect to build an 'escalier des am- bassadeurs, as in the Palace of Yer | sailles In Louis XIV.'s time. The Am | bassadors' stairs are the preface to | state rooms of corresponding splendor
 These and other expenses soon ex-
  the Comte to run up bills. The Com tesse did her best to find ample funds | but the trustees would not let her make breaches in the capital or draw | her income by anticipation. I am told | that she and the Comte have gone to New York to try and make some ar- that would enable them att once to satisfy all French creditors. 1 She cannot be deprived of the interest | of the three millions sterling. Her | good sense would, under their pres sure, lead her to live more economical ly. This being so, there can be no | danger of a Bourse execution
 Comte de Castellane is rather hand some He has the fair, florid complex ion of the Greffulhes, but in their less rude type. The red in their cheeks seemed to have been baked in, as in the porcelain heads of German dolls. It had also a tint that was almost