New-York tribune., 1906-04-14

tom! was the reply OF the princess. who had IN
mind the disloyalty of the Kings ancestor, Ber-
nadotte. The volume contains well chosen anec-
dotes concerning Prince San Donate, the hus-
band of the princess. from whom she was sepa-
rated, but never actually divorced; concern
ing Sainte-Beuve, for whom she cherished
profound affection: concerning her other friends
and admirers. including Theophile Gautier.
Renan, the Goncourts, Frederic Soulie Alex
anore Dumas fils, Nieuwerkerke, Victorien Sar-
dou. Chaplin. the engraver and Ger0me, the
painter. One evening in 1852 group of guests
were discussing at her house the details of a
scandalous divorce suit-that OF NJ. and Mime.
de Chaponay. Edmond About narrated a
much too realistic and naturalist" picture of
the situation, which so shocked the Princess
Mathide that she rang the bell and said to her
maitre d'hotel, Summon NJ Edmond Abouts
carr1age"' The author of lie Roi des Mon
tagnes'' left the room with downcast look and
never pardoned the princess. The lesson was
all the more bitter because there had been n
strong bond of sympathy and affection between
them Of two years duration. Princess Mathlide
was, nevertheless, by no means a prude The
tone and conversation Of the witty Decameron-
like group of guests at her residences in Paris,
at Saint Gernain at Saint Gratien were free
from conventional restraint.
On two occasions Princess Mathilde very
Hearly became empress. She was the
daughter of a king Of Westphalia. grand
daughter of a king of Wurtemberg and niece
of two emperors-Napoleon I and Nicholas I
cousin of Napoleon III, and was also genoa
logically connected with the reigning house
of England. Queen Hortense wished to bring
about a marriage between Mathilde and
Louis Napoleon shortly before the future En-
peror attempted his Strasburg fasco. There
was a Irritation and something approaching to
a betrothal The Czar also caressed the idea of
giving TO his son Alexander the hand of a Bona
parte princess. These projects were, however.
upset by the mutual but passing passion be-
tween Mathide and Anatole Demtdof, Prince de
San Donate, whose mines in the Ural made him
one of the richest young noblemen in Europe.
The marriage took place in 1870 Il will never
pardon your were the words addressed to
Mathilde by the CZar when she appeared at the
Russian court under the name of Countess
Demidoff The union was unhappy Demidof
slapped his wife's face at q ball given in Paris
at their residence in the Rue Saint Dominique.
Mathilde left her husbands house after this az
front, and went to her maternal uncle, the EN-
peror Nicholas I, who forthwith arranged a sep
aration between Mathilde and Demidoff. requir-
ing the latter to pay to Princess Mathilde
annuity of $4,000 a year. Ii this annuity
that during the latter part of her life constituted
the principal part of her income
The sayings and doings of the fascinating
young Austrian Ambassadress, Princess Pauline
Metternich. who came to Paris shortly after the
close Of the Franco-Austrian war of 1859. fill
important chapter in NJ. Loli6e's book. There
are photographs of the princess in the neglige
costume of a Paris cab driver, a dablesse
and in the quaint crlnoIines Of the period. One
evening after dinner at the house of the Com
tesse de Portales. the Princess Metternich
conversing about the First Empire and of GER
tain "reminiscences of her husbands father. the
Great" Metternch. Sardou, who was present
asked: What incident was it that impressed
Metternich the most striking illustration Of
the sovereign power of Napoleon I?' The Prin-
cess Metternich turned to the young drama
tist and SAID: That same question was once put
to Metternich, and his reply was not Dresden
Tilsit Austerlitz or the coronation in Paris as
might be imagined, but follows: 1t was
a fine morning at Compiegne when the Emperor
and the court had returned from drive in the
forest, About noon the Emperor stood with his
back to big blazing wood fire. talking briskIy
and in good humor He was very hungry, and
turned Unexpectedly to Murat and said, King
of Naples go and find out why breakfast is so
late,' The brilliant Murat at once went the
kitchen and returned with the reply. Sire. the
repast Will be served in few moments; an &C
cident has happened TO the turbot." Napoleon
continued his conversation, but after few min
utes again became impatient, and turning 10
the opposite side OF the fireplace said, King of
Holland, do try and ascertain whether we are
going 10 have breakfast to-day or not" This
ofhand way of sending a pair of kings 10
hasten his breakfast made a lasting impress
sion on IIetternich, accustomed to the eti-
quette Of the court of the Hapsburgs There
are numerous incidents pertaining to the Mar
auis de Galliffet, Lord Cow1ey, Lady Hamilton,
Baron Schckler. Duchesse de Persigny. Due de
Morny and other personages Of the court of No
poleon and the Empress Eugene. Among other
grandes danes whose fitting biographies are
sketched in outline by the author are the Com
tesse Walewska, Comtesse lie Hon, Sophie de
Castellane, Comtesse de Beaulaincourt Comtesse
de Pourtales. DUchesse de Mouchy and the vi
comtesse AguadO. The volume aptly illustrat-
ed, is brightly written handbook in the lighter
vein Of the smart and frisky society OF the Sec
ond Empire. c. l. 3.