Tombstone epitaph., 1917-08-19
THE MYSTERIES
OF FRAU KLEIST

"HE clever in'rigues OF Frau
Klcist were unknown 10 AIRY
outside the court circle az Pots
dam. She was indeed a queer
per-onoge "only less Of a parsonage
than hi, majesty" as Prince Bul0w
declared TO me one day as we sat to-
geth.r in my room In the Berlin
Schlp,s
Frau Klelst was the court dancing
mistress. whose fastidioUs Judgment
had TO be satisfied by any young debu-
tsnte or officer before they presumed
to dance before royalty at the state
balls Perhaps She was seventy. Her
real age never knew.
Truly Frau Klelst. with her neat
waist and thin. refined face, was ii
very striking figure at the Berlin
court. The intricacies OF the ninuet
and Esvotte. a. well as those Of the
oid-wsrld dances in which she delight
ed. mere taught by the old lady 10
Prime Joachim AMI Princess Victoria
Luis. both 0f whom always went in
deadly fear Of her cIu>tic tongue and
oyeri, manner.
The emperor never permitted any
dancing al court which was Lot L? To
n hish standard Of excellence. and all
wh" sought t. dance were compelled
to pass before the critical eye Of the
sharp-tongued ole lady ia her stiff
silkcu gown.
Whence She had come or who had
1. /.
nobody knew. one thing was quite
certain, that though at an age when
usually rheumatism prevents agility
yet she was an expert dancer.
The old woman lived in considerable
styl. ~ iine house close 10 the
clientele bridge az POtsdain, beneath
the R4belsberg. a rover to be reck0ned
with a. -, who desired to enter the
court circle.
f-.iri.Ug her. many strange stories
wcre nripat one was that she was an
ex-,iiu-nr. the mother of the famous
Mad moi Sole "Clo-Clc" Durand. pre-
mir--. dlu~euSe Of the Paris opera. and
sno'h.- WIS that she had been mis-
tresS II the ballet = at the Imperial
opcrt in PrtroGrad in the days Of the
Eapprpr Alexander. But so great n
mystery were her antecedents that no.
body tne.: anything for certain, save
that. ~ the age of nearly severity. she
had access at any hour to the kaiser $
private cabine. / have often seen her
whisper TO his majesty strange secrets
which she had picked up here and
ther.-sccrets that were often trans
ferrri 10 certain confidential quarters.
Those Mt court who secured the be-
nignlnt rI.liIes OF Frau Kl.ist knew
that ttsir future path In life would be
full or sunshine. bur Woe betice those
upnn whom she knit her brows in dis
approval Frau Eleist kept her pretty
house and her big Mercedes car upon
she secret money payments she re-
ceivrd from those who for value
begged her favOrs. With many young
officers the payment 10 Frau Kleist
was 10 open the back door to the en-
perOr's favor.
We in the Neues Palais (New Pal
see) knew IT, But surely II did not
concern US. for all of US looked askance
OF thp-4 VINO strONe 80 rlrenuously anu
eagerly for commands" TO court func-
lions. and really we were secretly glad
n the psrvenus of both sexes were well
bicd before they were permitted by
Frau Erna to make their obeisancc be-
fore royalty.
The palace world at every European
court Is a narrow little world of IT.
own. unknown and unsupported by the
uran in the street. There one sees the
worst side Of human nature without
any ieaven of the hes. or even nobler
side. The salary-grabber. the military
sdventur.r, the pinchbeck diplomat
IT, -.mmerciai parvenu. and the scien
ust. together with their jewe'-5edecked