Evening star., 1903-08-22

pened on the stage? No one knew. The
| audience asked Whispered, cried out
| The crown prince, had leaped to his feet
and stood as If senseless, staring at the one
| spot with an expression as II he saw Emilia
! behind the curtairp' in her blood, driven to
| her death by the prince.
The court withdpew.r T Now pit and gal
| iery had their pleasure. They demanded TO
| see Emilia. They howfed and ragged. The
curtain had to be raised and the manager
appeared and assured them in chosen Ian
guage that Emilia had become i'll suddenly,
but was fast recovering. Pit and gallery
yelled applauded and-laughed. Then
everybody crushed to get out. highly elated
over the play with the new ending.
Not until then could / reach the little
box In the antesroom l found the ad1u-
tant with face ontwhieh there was to read:
"A Scandal tt was fimy duty to say a
few idle words toIthe gentleman to assure
him that it was not at all a scandal. l had
to take the crown prince by the arm to
make him know my presence at all. He
sighed so that 1t sounded like a moan and
murmured: She will kill herself. And
after a. pause once more: Il know she Will
kill herself
So she loves him and-he loves her. Who
would have thought 1t?
The supper in the palace after the play
was a comedy, too. Their majesties did
not appear but the crown prince attended,
with his usual serious. somewhat sour face
Only between his brows there was the lit
tie deep wrinkle again. But that l alone
saw and will see a thousand times again
while no other person notices 1T. But at
last the sign will stand deeply craven in
the forehead. and no man will be able to
lie 1t away, not even his excellency, the
lord marshal.
Well. it was supper in the palace.
"A scandal" 1t was to be read in all the
faces; in the withered powdered cheeks of
the lord marShaTs lady as in the hum
BILE masks of the lackeys. His excellency
the lord marshal looked around him fur
lively lest a phantom hand write with fam
ing letters on the wall: "A scandal" And
what made the matter almost merry was
the manner in which they conversed about
the scandal in the presence of the crown
prlnce-qulte en- passant; Emilia had been
getting somewhat nervous in the last few
months.
=
Not to forget; of course Emilia Galotti
did not do herself harm-wiIl not, either.
Why should she?
Meantime, we go to visit the bride. .
We have arrived When we were led to
the queen we found all the princesses, and
among them the bride She is not pretty
but extremely charming; small and grace
ful l have never seen anything so maid
enly. Her eyes have expression that
cuts into my heart. such a strained, trem-
ping, frightened expression. With this
frightened look she met her fance, on
whose forehead. between the brows, the IA
Tiers wrinkle showed itself again.
In my first look at the bride | saw moth
ing except those maidenly frightened eyes,
and L felt deep pity. l have never felt
such pity for any human being. That is
bad omen
The crown prince was led to his future
wife by the queen. He bowed low kissed
the small. pale childs hand, which he had
TO take himself and said something but
SO low in tone that nobody understood 1t.
Princess Mathilde did not reply, but be-
gan to tremble until the whole fine little
10 nrilx thn nc
introduction began anew and 1t became
possible to hide the little palpitating crea-
ture IN circle of court ladies and pr1n-
cesses.
The poor. poor little one!
Before the dinner / went to the crown
prince. He lay dressed on the divan, his
hands a1 over his eyes. I said to him.
She Is a lovely creature 1 have rarely
seen anything more lovable. 1t must be a
Joy1ul task for man to make this sweet
ana helpless being happy. I congratulate
Ny brother, without taking his hands
from his eyes. answered: I'VE are stran-
gers and will remain strangers Did YOU
see her glance? She is afraid of me- Worse,
she feels horror of me. 81 Her glance and her
horror will be as an abyss between us"
w nat morbid phantasy!'
~ you think so? At any rate I have
other duties than to make a wife happy
Tlla Th 10 play the happy husband myself
lhey are duties that demand my whole
strength. and. indeed. more strength than
l nave. This lovely creature, therefore.
WIZ oe very unhappy by my side"
1T makes no difference about me. as
you know" - .-,fY o' 90
l. however. remained obstinate ."Goodr,
excialmed Then do not think Of your
self. but help her! Did you not see II at
once? She will not be able to live without
iovIhg. .,I without being loved again.
II cannot help her."
linen we had to go to dine.
Ioday we depart with great pomp. as
we arrived. f' Go
tTo be continued)