ad surrounded
with Asiatic luxury, whose strangest whims he had gratified, and whose
tyranny he had borne so patiently, could have deceived him so
shamefully, and now he had a quarrel with his wife, and an end of all
domestic peace, into the bargain.
The only thing the police could do was to raise the hue and cry after
the lady, who had denounced herself by her flight, but it was all of no
use. In vain did the banker, in whose heart hatred and thirst for
revenge had taken the place of love, implore the Director of Police to
employ every means to bring the beautiful criminal to justice, and in
vain did he undertake to be responsible for all the costs of her
prosecution, no matter how heavy they might be. Special police officers
were told off to try and discover her, but Caecelia K---- was so rude as
not to allow herself to be caught.
Three years had passed, and the unpleasant story appeared to have been
forgotten. The banker had obtained his wife's pardon and--what he cared
about a good deal more--he had found another charming mistress, and the
police did not appear to trouble themselves about the beautiful
Hungarian any more.
We must now change the scene to London. A wealthy lady who created much
sensation in society, and who made many conquests both by her beauty and
her free behavior, was in want of a groom. Among the many applicants for
the situation, there was a young man, whose good looks and manners gave
people the impression that he must have been very well educated. This
was a recommendation in the eyes of the lady's maid, and she took him
immediately to her mistress's boudoir. When he entered, he saw a
beautiful, voluptuous looking woman, at most, twenty-five years of age,
with large, bright eyes and blue-black hair, which seemed to increase
the brilliancy of her fair complexion, lying on a sofa. She looked at
the young man, who also had thick black hair, and who turned his glowing
black eyes to the ground, beneath her searching gaze, with evident
satisfaction, and she seemed particularly taken with his slender,
athletic build, and then she said half lazily and half proudly:
"What is your name?"
"Lajos Mariassi."
"A Hungarian?"
And there was a strange look in her eyes.
"Yes."
"How did you come here?"
"I am one of the many emigrants who have forfeited their country and
their life; and I, who come of a good family, and who was an officer of
the Honveds, must now ... go into service, and th
|