Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-11
CHAPTER I.
The Rassendylls-With Word on
The Elnhherpa

CHAPTER I.
The Rassendylls-With Word on
the Elphbergs.
IT wonder when in the world you're go.
ing to do anything, Rudolfr' said my
brothers. wife.
MY dear Rose" answered, laying down
my egg-spoon, why in the world should
do anything? My position is a comfortable
one. have an income nearly SUFFICIENT for
my wants (no ones income is even quite
sufficient, you know. enjoy an enviable
social position-I am brother to Lord
Burlesdon and brother-in-law to that most
charming lady his countess. Behold. it is
enoughr'
you are Internationally" she observed,
'and you've done nothing but"
KNOCK about? It is true. Our family
doesn't need to do things
This remark of mine rather annoyed
Rose, for observation-disclosures (and therefore
there can be no harm in referring to the
fact), that, pretty and accomplished as she
herself is, her family Is hardly of the same
standing as the Rassendylls. Besides her
attractions, she possessed large fortune
and my brother Robert was wise enough
not to mind about her ancestry. Ancestry
is, in fact, a matter concerning which the
next observation Of Roses has some truth
Good families are generally worse than
any Others" she said.
Upon this I stroked my hair-I knew quite
well what she meant.
I'm so glad Robert Is black!' she cried.
At this moment Robert (who rises at Z
and works before breakfasD came In. He
glanced at his wife-her cheek was slightly
flushed; he patted it caressingly.
Whats the matter my dearT' he asked
''She objects to my doing nothing and
having red hair" said I in an injured tone.
"Oh Of course he can't help his hair"
admitted Rose.
1T generally crops out once in genera
tion," said my brother. SO does the nose.
Rudolf has got them both"
II wish they didn't crop out" said Rose,
still flushed.
II rather like them myself" said I, and.
rising, bowed to the portrait Of Countess
Amelia.
My brothers wife uttered an exclamation
Il wish you'd take that picture away.
Robert" said she.
MY dear!" he cried
Good heavens!'I added.
"Then it might be forgotten" she con-
tinued.
"Why should it be forgotten asked.
"Rudolf!' exclaimed my brothers wife,
laughed. and went on with my egg. At
least 1 had shelved the question of what
IF anything) I ought to do. And by way
Of closing the discussion-and also. I must
admit, of exasperating my strict little Sis
ter-in-law a trifie more-I observed:
Il rather like being an Elphberg my
self"
when I read a story skip the explana-
lions, yet the moment begin to write one
/ find that 1 must have an explanation.
For 1t Is manifest that must explain why
my sister-in-law was vexed with my nose
and hair and why l ventured to call myself
an Elphberg. For, eminent as. must pro-
test, the Rassendylls have been for many
generations, yet participation in their blood
Of course does not. at first sight. justify
the boast Of a connection with the grander
stock Of the Elphbergs or claim to be
one Of that royal house. For what rela,
tionship is there between Ruritania and
Burlesdon, between the palace at strelsau
or the castle of Zenda and No. 3o5 Park
lane, W.T.
am going, perforce, to rake up the very
scandal which my dear Lady Burlesdon
wishes forgotten-in the year 1873. George
II sitting then on the throne, peace reign
Prince of Wales being not yet at logger
heads, there came on a visit to the English
court a certain prince, who was afterward
known to history as Rudolf the Third OF
Ruritania. The prince was tall, hand
some young fellow. marked (naybe marred.
it is not for me to say by somewhat UNI
usually long. sharp and straight nose ana
q mass Of dark-red hair-in fact, the nose
Elphbergs time out Of mind. He stayed
some months in England. where he was
most courteously received; yet In the END
he left rather under a cloud. For he fought
of him to waive all question Of his rank)
with a nobleman. well known In the society
Of the day, not only for his own merits,
but as the husband of very beautiful
severe wound. and. recovering therefronf,
was adroitly smuggled off by the Ruris-
tanian ambassador, who had found him
pretty handful. The nobleman was not
wounded in the duel, but the morning be-
ing raw and damp on the occasion of the
meeting he contracted a severe chill, and,
failing to throw it off, he died some six
months after the departure OF Prince Ru-
dolf without having found leisure to adjust
his relations with his wife-who after an
other two months bore an heir to the title
and estates Of the family OF Burlesdon.t
This lady was the Countess Amelia, whose
picture my sister-in-law wished to remove
from the drawing room in Park lane; and
her husband was James, fifth Earl or
Burlesdon and twenty-second Baron Ras-
sendyll, both in the peerage OF England,
and knight of the garter. AS for Rudolf,
he went back to Ruritania, married a wife
and assembled the throne, whereon his pro-
geny in the direct line have sat from then
till this very hour-with one short interval
And, finally, If you walk through the pic
ture galleries at Burlesdon, among the
fifty portraits or SO of the last century
and a half you will find five or six, In
Guiding that of the sixth earl, distinguished
by long, sharp, straight noses and a guam
THY of dark-red hair; these five or six have
also blue eyes, whereas among the Rassen-
dylls dark eyes are the commoner.
That is the explanation, and am glad
to have finished 1.-THE blemishes on honor
able lineage are delicate subject, and GER
tainly this heredity we hear SO much about
is the finest scandalmonger In the world;
it laughs at discretion and writes strange
entries between the lines of the peerage.
1t will be observed that my sister-in-law,
with a want of logic that must have been
peculiar to herself (since we are no longer
allowed to lay it to the charge Of her sex),
treated my complexion almost as an offense
for which I was responsible, fastening to
assume from that external sign inward
qualities of which protest my entire inDo-
cence: and this unjust inference she sought
to buttress by pointing to the uselessness
of the life 1 had led. Well, be that as 1t
may, I had picked up good deal of pleas
ure and good deal Of knowledge. l had
been to a German school and German
university, and spoke German as readily
and perfectly as English; was thoroughly
at home in French; had smatterins of
Italian and enough Spanish to swear by.
I was, believe, strong, though hardly
fine, swordsman and a good shot. I could
ride anything that had a back to sit on,