Show f r u Secrets of the Courts of Europe EuropeAn i An Old Ambassadors Ambassador's Revelations of the t II Inner History of Famous Episodes Heretofore Cloaked in Mystery i Ji Chronicled by ALLEN UPWARD PRINCE CITRON I It was on just su such 1 a night as this some sonic years year ago began the ambassador ambassador am am- bass dor as soon as w Viere e e w ere comfortably comfortably comfortably comfort comfort- comforto ably settled in the smoking room of his Ills luxurious mansion and King Williams William's Wil Wil- liam's liams s first wife was still alive You are aware that It was his second wife I who is th the mother er of Wilhelmina I had forgotten it but no matter It It Is on the contrary a fact which must be borne in mind retorted his Excellency I was returning home from the theater past midnight As I 1 J r approached the Madeleine I saw a ar r small crowd collected at the oot of the steps Crossing over to fin find out what had taken place I found myself on theof the outside of ot is a ring of women the most abandoned wretches of the quarter who had gathered round the figure of a man lying on the bo bottom m step of 1 eo r the thES flight apparently intoxicated beyond beyond be be- bep yond you'd the power ower to move move G The sp spectacle of or this this unfortunate v r s Ie seemed seamed m d to have haye strangely excited the women a who ho ho were hurling at him the vilest insults in their horrible c lary lacy Incensed at the behavior of these hags I roughly pu pushed hed my mr- way through them o the side of their victim whose clothes Disordered and covered with mt t they y Y re s med to tobe be those y of ofa a man o of opposition position The he wretched Y cr creature a ur was lying on one side his left hand outstretched with which he f seemed to to be be trying fe feebly bly to ward oft off the foul Coul epithets o of his tormentors b. b I stooped down over over him and lifted his head to the 3 light r It w. w was as Prince Citron You will A ill easily figure to yourself r p. the horror of discovering the heir to toa a famous monarchy the descendant of Wi William the l i S Silent lent in t this ls deplorable deplorable t 01 able situation I had not failed to to- hear het some some o of i the dark reports as a's as to o or r- r mans man's career career r er nevertheless a at s such ch a moment the only only sentiment F rJ which inspired n me was was that of ot the most profound nd pity Sternly rebuking the filthy hags hags' Wh who ho slunk away before my reproaches reproaches- I f raised the prince to his feet and k it supported him down to the edge of the pavement w where here I 1 perceived an empty empt fiacre nacre l coming o uP up Into this I assisted Alexander to Alexander to to give him his proper name who name HI who e-who who I instantly fe fell l like a log upon the cushions Then I gave the driver ermy dri my own own address and we proceeded proceeded pro pro- i c ded to to the h house se n near ar the Ru Rue de de' deJ kf J Rivoli In In- which I at that time occupied oc oc- a small flat fiat During the short drive Prince Alex Alex- Alexander Alexander i- i ander lay absolutely motionless andi and i r without uttering a sound But from time to time to-time time I caught a gl gleam a of ot dull Int Intelligence II en in n his bloods bloodshot o eyes ees r J. J whisk which were turned to me as if he were Ik trying to comprehend who I was and what t a accident ch ent had bro brought him into my company Ar i When we got to the house it was I necessary for me to engage the services services ser ser- vices of the concierge to get the unfortunate un un- unfortunate fortunate youth upstairs to my apart apartment ment went which was on the third floor 7 j. j There Ther I found that my lay valet had ii re reo retired i r tired a circumstance which I I. I Idid did did not f. f regret I I got my strange visitor CO corn com comfortably settled upon a couch I It t loosened his collar conar and necktie for him removed his bis boots and spread a warm rug over his feet Then I sat down to wait till he should recover from his lethargy Y While I watched his uneasy repose I strove to recall the various things which I I had heard heard about the heir of oft William Ill III He was of ot course well- well t known to me by sight for the incident incident inci inci- dent I speak of took place at a time when I was attached to the staff of or orthe the foreign office in Paris and when as you jou may have heard there was some talk of making me deputy and minister ri But I preferred a diplomatic career to o a parliamentary one and I do not regret my decision In a country like t France which is ruled over by the thet t f. bourgeoisie politics reduces itself r to a terribly pros prosaic lc level I can only f find the romance for which my disposition disposition dis dis- l ij position craves in the courts of those a countries where the will of a monarch 1 still counts for much and where the v course of the greatest events may betom be tom decided by a nod given at the right t moment or by a sentence whispered d td i a In the intervals of ot a waltz I Though I never before had any intercourse intercourse intercourse in in- with Prince Citron I was wasl s familiar with the stories stories' in circulation t s tion about him It was generally believed believed bew be be- w that his residence in Paris wa was wasp s i not altogether voluntary voluntary that that in fact p he be bad had been compelled to leave th the e Hague in consequence of some terrible ter ter- r f 1 misunderstanding with his father and there were those who asserted d ds that the old king of the Netherlands s x had bad sworn that his son should never neve r i t. t return so long as he himself was alive But though there w were ere a hundred different different dif dU Ii ferent versions of the cause of ot this e ex exile k lie ile the truth of the matter had rei remained remained re re- i a secret from every one an and c ceven d It even in his most reckless moments moment a no allusion to it ft ever passed the lipi lips lip s i of the prince I rl In the meantime the manner o of t his life since he had come to reside i in n Paris was unhappily only too well wen ascertained as as- From the moment of qui quiz quit quit- t te z tang ling his own his ow own co country Y he e seemed to have hav e e r 0 I cast aside all restraint and abandoned himself to all kinds of excesses without without with with- o out ut even attempting to keep up that decorum which is the morality moralIty morality moral moral- ity of princes i There were few crimes which had hadnot hadnot not ot been been laid to o the charge of this Regenerate degenerate scion of the house of Ornge Or Or- who appeared to take a delight in outraging public opinion The worst things which were said about him him It be e impossible e for me to repeat and and andI I 1 firmly believe they were unfounded un un- un f founded but enough was known or suspected to make his fr friendship considered con con- s a doubtful honor and in short sport but for his exalted rank the doors of society would have been long ago shut in his face Such was was this miserable being on whom n nevertheless the eyes of E European Euro Euro- ro- ro statesmen had been anxiously anxious anxious- p ean long ly Iy fixed and whose life by a strange t turn urn of events had become of the greatest value to France If It you will Ill cast your eye over the map of 1 Europe you will perceive nestling b between tween the frontiers of f France Germany Gerany Germany Ger Ger- many m any and Belgium the little state of Luxemburg At t the e time of which I speak Luxemburg was united to the th the Dutch kingdom by a similar tie to that which former formerly y connected Hanover with Great reat Britain that is Is to say William III of of the r-e r Netherlands herlands was also Grand Duke of ot Luxemburg As in your case however the laws r regulating regulating g the succession were different different differ differ- e ent nt lathe in the two countries In Holland the crown was capable of being inherited by a female in to the absence of direct male heirs whereas In Luxemburg the Salle Salic constitution prevailed under which no female can canever ever inherit Consequently Consequently Consequently Con Con- when William III HI died without with with- o out ut leaving a son the Grand Duchy was was separated from the the Netherlands just as Hanover became separated f from from fromy rom y your ur country on th the accession of Queen Victoria King William left lefta a daughter who Inherited the Dutch crown while Luxemburg passed t to the house o of Nassau But at this time there was a prospect of ot the union of the two territories being maintained in the person of the young prince who had so strangely come beneath my roof France was interested in this question because It was feared that If it Luxemburg passed from under under- the sway of of a Dutch m monarch it w would uld fall into the system of the Gen German an Empire to which it had formerly belonged belonged belonged be be- longed and thus increase the power of our relentless enemies The German German German Ger Ger- man government on its side earnestly desired this event which has since come to to pass You will now comprehend compre compre- Ji bend hend nd What what Important Interest centered centered centered cen cen- in the life lite of Prince Citron Citron this this' disreputable wait waif of the boulevards boule boule- yards Y You u will acquit me I feel certain of any intention to profit by the accident accident accident acci acci- dent which had caused m me to become the protector of the prince So little did I expect that I was about to become be- be become become be be- come come the possessor of ot a secret sufficient sum sum- cleat to have lighted the flames of war that I was merely waiting till my guest had sufficiently recovered to offer him my escort to his own own residence resi real dence deuce The rhe first sign I had that he was coming to himself was finding his eyes obstinately fixed upon me in a long gaze No sooner did he perceive that his look was returned however than thana a deep flush suffused his face he threw up his hands with that pathetic gesture I had observed when I first came upon him and uttered a sorrowful sorrowful sorrowful sorrow sorrow- ful groan I sprang to my feet and approached him I fear your Royal Highness is unwell unwell unwell un un- well I said exaggerating the deference defer deter ence of ot my manner in order orde to soothe his self sell respect respect so cruelly wounded by bythe bythe bythe the events of the night If It there Is anything which It is in my power to todo todo todo do I respectfully request that you will honor me with your commands Who are you he asked with reserve re re- serve I explained to him dwelling on my connection with the Quai d dOrsay Orsay In order to l him with confidence dence I 1 went on to add Accident caused me to come up at the moment that your Royal Highness Highness Highness High High- ness was overcome by illness on the boulevard and I took the liberty of bringing you to my apartment to recover recover recover re re- re- re cover as I had not the honor to know your address He sat up on the couch and thrust his disordered hair back from his forehead while he retorted morosely l 1 was not ill III I was well was well hardly myself You found me lying on the steps steps' of the church surrounded by those horrible women And he be groaned afresh at the lection section It is not for me to contradict y your ur Highness I responded mildly but should there ever be a question raised as to this affair which affair which I do not anticipate anti anti- I I shall adhere to my opinion all the same As I said this I observed a milder expression coming over his features He gave me a wistful questioning look which went to my heart Why do you ou treat reat me me like this th J aT he asked speaking less abruptly You know what I an ram am an outcast for whom no one pretends to feel respect Pardon me me I returned the race you represent and the exalted destiny to which you have been born must always command respect Concerning your private life I have not presumed to form an opinion but I am not so so ignorant as not to perceive that that the benefits conferred on nations by personages personages per per- personages of ot your rank and the peculiar temptations which assail them enable th them m to claim justly a certain toleration toleration tion which is Is' Is not not extended to every everybody body Not to weary you w th th the details of our convers conversation I succeeded succeed d more quickly than I could have hoped in winning the regard of my guest and convincing him that I was sincere in my desire to serve him But But when I ventured to allude to the value which his h is life possessed for France I was astonished to see a bitter smile cross his lips and he made an impatient gesture which checked any words While h all this was going forward I observed that he relapsed from time timeto timeo to o time into fits of ot abstraction during which he would study my face as if it hesitating h whether to address I to me some important communication I carefully carefully care care- f fully ully refrained on my part from any clumsy overture and contented myself myself myself my my- self with talking in a cheerful strain about the ordinary topics of ot the rile day Finally he spoke M le Ie Baron he said in deliberate tones y your ur conduct tonight ha has made me desire greatly to possess posses your friendship If It you feel enough interest in me to care care to hear the secret of my miserable e career I should like to to tell to you that story which I 1 f have never yet confided to a a. single creature crea crea- ture t ure I merely ask that that what I am about to say to you shall not be repeated repeated repeated re re- re- re so long as my father and I I are alive I I hastened to give the required assurances assurances which Alexander re received elved with melancholy indifference From your official connections he began you you are no doubt aware aware of the sta state of things as regards the Lu Luxemburg emburg succession t n tn tt b I II it a ita f I 4 II IId I d I ens I tp s l 6 i iI I d dlF lF I penetrable nature and how often often have I felt feIt- myself silently thrust back and retired to my own apartments to weep in solitude At that age you will admit I 1 could have done nothing to forfeit a fathers father's love Then at all events I had not been guilty of those follies and crimes which have since made my name a byword and dragged me down downto to the depth which you have witnessed wit wit- witnessed As he spoke these words the young man cast at me an an appealing look and andI I I. I asked you to believe that I 1 was not unmoved unmoved Yet I was still far from anticipating to what this pitiful relation tended As I grew older proceeded Alexander Alexander Alex Alex- ander I 1 ceased to torment myself with the vain idea of ot conquering my fathers father's regard As a result I became indifferent ent to to his good opinion and finally Ily embittered against him and ag against my circumstances I cursed the evil fortune which had separated me from the common lot lotof of my fellow creatures creatures crea crea- tures and while crushing me with the pomp and state of royalty had deprived me of far more precious possessions It was not long before the restraints imposed upon me by my high rank galled me to an unbearable unbearable unbearable able degree It became my favorite resource to elude the watchfulness of my attendants attendants attendants at at- to quit the palace in disguise disguise disguise dis dis- dis- dis guise and to seek adventures in the streets streets of the Hague or on the beach of Scheveningen At such moments moment I could forget that I was a prince and revel in the freedom which isso Is Isso isso so |