Evening star., 1923-07-15

1t Is to the latter sentence in Marie
Vetzera's letter to her mother that L
wish to draw special attention. For
it refers to a matter not contained
and which for reasons that are OBJ
vious was not touched upon by En-
press Elizabeth to Empress Eugene.
since the formers husband, old En-
peror Francis Joseph. was still alive.
And yet 1t was that which really
drove Rudolph and Marie Vetzera to
take their lives at Meyerling, and
which explains why the crown prince
wrote Il must die. In honor, I can
do nothing else" That Marie was
enciente was confIded by Empress
Elizabeth to Eugene.
Rudolph knew nothing of 1t until
1t was revealed to him by Marie on
the night of the tragedy. Then the
full horror Of the situation burst
upon him. For in the terribly dra-
hours previously at the Hofburg with
the emperor. and in which the latter
had exacted solemn pledge from
the crown prince never to see the girl
again after their last and final inter-
view that night, the monarch had
given expression to his dread-nay
almost to his conviction-that Marie
was the offspring of his own brief
and short lived intrigue with the
girls mother Helene Vetzera nee
In her day. She was never member
of the great world of Vienna, from
which her daughter Marie and her
sisters were likewise excluded by rea-
son of her failure to satisfy the
genealogical qualifications required
for presentation at the imperial court.
1t was owing to this line of demarca-
ton which existed until the fall OF
the empire between those who We're
presentable to court and those who
a.
longed to the great world of Vienna
and those who were vigorously ex-
cluded from it's portals, that served
to facilitate intrigues. since each set
was at pains to prevent its romances
IF i may use the word-from be-
coming known Thus there had al
ways been a considerable discretion
about the ephemeral friendship of
Emperor Francis Joseph with Helene
Vetzera, and its knowledge was for
the most part restricted to those who,
like myself, were long standing ac-
quaintances and old-time associates
on the amiable and good looking
Baron Vetzera, member or the Aus
trian diplomatic service, and who
were aware why he was always pro-
vided with the most agreeable, lucra-
tive and at the same time not too
conspicuous posts abroad.
1t was this frightful situation, so sug-
gestive Of the old Greek tragedies Of
fronted the crown price and young
Marie Vetzera. They we're overwhelmed
by the extent Of it's horror. That is why
she took poison-the empty bottle was
found on the hoor-that is why the
crown price-presumably at her en-
treaty-shot her through the heart in
order to end her convulsive agony Of
suffering from the effects OF the strych-
nine, and that is why he then blew out
his brains-indeed, blew OFF part Of his
head. The two had been driven litreally
insane by the situation facing them and
their unborn child. That, too, is why
Leo XIII, in the face Of the opposition
of his secretary Of state. Cardinal Ram
polla, authorized the obseQuies of the
crown prince with all the rites of the
church. For he realized, when every
thing had been revealed to him by the
stricken emperor. that the crown prince
had been no longer accountable for his
actions and the church is very merciful
to those who have been robbed tenn
porarily or permanently of their reason.
There was no drunken orgy at Meyer
ling, no hand-to-hand encounter between
liquor crazed boon companions, no
broken champagne and brandy bottles,
no smashed furniture and hangings torn
from their fastenings. Nothing but a