Fair play., 1920-12-25


She descended it and found a secret
passage. This she traversed and be-
yond 1t found her lover deranged and
Ill, In the care of an imbecile servant.
She nursed him back to health.
Consuelo's exposure and excitement
In this midnight expedition produced
violent fever and Albert's love and care
deepened. For time 1t seemed as
though he might win her hand but be-
tween these devoted young people the
dissolute Anzoleto thrust himself.
Although at first she gave way be-
fore him, Consuelo regained her self
control and put him aside. The good
Count Christian, finding her nobly
frank about her early life, not only ex-
pressed his admiration, but requested
her to marry his son, whose reason she
had restored.
To this she answered, 1.-THE honor Is
very great, but am a singer. must
return to my art"
To avoid Anzoleto she fled by night
toward Vienna in order to rejoin Por-
pora, her teacher. Consuelo reached
there only to find old Porpora master
without school or pupil.
In her attempts to secure q position
at the Court theater she failed by rea-
son Of the opposition of the Empress
Maria and the enmity Of Gorilla, her
bitter rival. The corruption, the saw
age hatreds which marked the atmos-
phere Of the court and the theater, led
her to dream Of Albert and the mar
riage he had offered.
At last she wrote to Albert, express
ing her love for him.
PorpOra. to whom she gave her let
ter to post. burned 1t and wrote one Of
his own to Count Christian. He was
Jealous Of her art and desired to profit
by It.
Six weeks passed. Consuelo heard
nothing from Albert, and as sudden
chance to sing in opera came to her,
she accepted 1t. Her goodness and gen.
erosity had won even Gorilla. who
yielded her part to her.
One day. while rehearsing for Zeno-
bia. her first great part, Consuelo
thought she saw Count Albert in the
dark spaces Of the theater, a silent,
fitting, mysterious figure.
At about this time, Baron Trenck,
the notorious pandour and freebooter,
coming to the city CHANGED to see Con-
suelo, and instantly fell in love with
her. as did all men. She was terrified
by his fierce manner and his disfgured
countenance.
One night he forced his way into her
dressing room, and pleaded for her
love. He cast magnificent jewels at
her feet and then in transport Of
fury, seized her in his arms as II to
carry her away.
A disguised, powerful man darted
through the door, seized the bandit and
threw him down the iron stairway.
Although her rescuer's face was COW
cred, Consuelo believed him to be
Count Albert. She called, she ran to-
ward him, but he was gone. As she
stood looking down the dark stairway
the prompter announced the second act
Of the play and she went on the stage
as Zenobia, adding to her triumphs.
She sang now for Albert, believing that
he was somewhere in the audience.
Her conviction was confirmed when
amid the flowers which fell around her,
flung by the empress and the people Of
the court, she. picked up small -epfig
Of cypress. which was to her a sign
Of grief and despair. It was like q
symbol of death.
In the midst Of her uncertainty a
letter came from the director Of the
Royal theater in Leipsic, offering her a
fine engagement. An agent brought the
papers with him. Consuelo desired to
leave Vienna, for the empress was de-
termined that she should marry one OF
her favOrites.
As Porpora had destroyed her letter
to Count Albert, SO now he pretended
to have had a reply in which Count Al
bert renounced all claim upon her.
With unshaken faith in her old
teacher Consuelo sorrowfully accepted
the new engagement, signed the con.
tract and started for Germania.
It happened that the king Of Prus.
sia, Frederick the Great, travelling in
cognito, met her and was so pleased
with her that he gave orders for her
entertainment in his capital, but com.
manded that Porpora should be sent
back to Vienna.
All these plans, however, failed, for
Baron Rudolstadt, uncle of Count Al.
bert, brought word that the young man
was dying and greatly longed to see
Consuelo before he passed away. With.
out moments hesitation she hastened
to the castle.
Filled with exalted love and pity
Consuelo kissed the dying man. reallz'
ing that he was even then hardly more
than a spirit. He desired her to mar.
ry him, in order that his fortune and
his title might pass to her, and so firm
and insistent was his demand that
COnsuelo consented.
Count Albert lived only few hours
after the ceremOny leaving COnsuelO