A MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR.

Southland Times, Issue 974, 24 June 1868, Page 2

A MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR.

(From Putahan's Magazine.) Do you remember my mentioning my friend Count Konisberg? I presume not, for of late years I hare dropped Mb name from my tongue as I have his friendship from my heart. Tet there was a time when Karl and I were like brothers.. You know, in Germany men are hot ashamed to fall in love with each other. We have warm hearts ; and our manners do; not hold too stiff a reign upon them. So that the attachment between Karl and myself was well un* derstood by our acquaintances. He was of higher rank than I, and had more wealth; for, as I have told you, my struggles for the Bepublic impoverished; me almost in my boyhood, but we sym- . pathised^ontfcaHy, arid once, when in great straits, -He o£for«4 — mba home and — concealment in the most secluded of his numerous houses, a castle quite inaccessible to common travellers, but a most delightful spot, in summer, from its high position among the mountains. The count always passed his summers at BadenBaden, remaining as long as there^ were any visitors to keep him company in his nightly sittings at the gaming tables—forhere was his fault. He had acquired a passion for that universal stimulus of watering place life. This did not disturb my liking for him, but rather excited my pity, and many were the plain expostulations he had to listen to from me. Karl ; had tiot his rival in the kingdom for handling the sword; nor in riding a horse | was anyone his equal. He was a great favorite with the ladies on account of his many accomplishments, as well as for the magnificent manner in which he wasted his fortune. "Women are terribly severe in their own morals, but it does' seem to add greatly to a man's fascinations- to be* a little wicked. It is like children playing with fire ; their mothers have told them it would burn them — but then how bright, how irresistible it is ! Don t pinch my arm, , Fraulein — I don't mean you* It is the exception proves the. rule. The count won a great deal !'atj.the gaming tables ; but, in the long run he lost, also much more then he gained. It began to" be whispered that he was nearly ruined.' I tried, at the time, to save him, arid had the pain of realising that my influence was inferior to his master-passion. Tet with ali these disasterous rumours flying about, the count would not have found it difficult to repair his fortune with that of some lady of his own rank, for half the court ladies were in love with him. How surprised, then, was the world, when at the end of his third Baden season, he suddenly married th© daughter of a Dutch merchaait^who had accompanied her father on a tour for health, arid had watched over him dutifully as he drank the waters, week by week. Her great wealth was supposed to be the inducement. The daughters of German kings and princes might have a slender setting out, compared with that .of this untitled fraulein. Her farther, flattered by the alliance, decked her out with jewels until she shone like the tomb of Mahomet, and filled her purse ;with guilders until it was ready to burst. That purse suffered many and sudden depletions, but always was patiently refilled. The new made Countess of Konisberg was a beautiful woman. She might easily have been loved for her own sake, and I, for one, gave Karl credit for having some real affection for his bride. Her flaxen hair, when brushed out, must have fallen to her knees in a thick mantle; and in the absence of that self-possession which ; comes from long mingling with good society, she had a certain stateliness of carriage consequent upon a tall figure. Add to this the richness of her attire, and' she was a wife not to be ashamed of, al- ' though, she quailed, with the > natural timidity of her yielding temperament, .before the cold regards of envious ladies of rank. I have heard that she always summoned the count, before she appeared in full dress, to criticise her toilet, after having been once hurt by some sharp reproof of his on her want of taste. Be that as it may, they appeared happy together. No one could find excuse for scandal in the gallant, devoted manner of the husband. As winter came on, the pair went, to Paris, were received at court, and soon excited universal remark by .the extravagance of their expenditure and the increasing beauty of the countess, whose mauvaise Jionte . wore rapidly away, and whose toilet grew to rival that of f Eugenio's, both in its costliness and the 1 perfectness of its adaption to the wearer. There is no teacher like love. The daughter of the Dutch merchant loved her lord and master (the very word, Bettine !) much more than he deserved ; and in studying to satisfy him, she delighted and pleased all others. It was , ao me time in the month of January that a strange thing occurred. You may have heard of it through the newspapers,- for the case was so remarkable as to arrest universal attention. Count Konisberg was called away to his estates for a few days, leaving his wife in Paris. Invitations were already .out for a grand ball to be given by the Princes Metternich, . and the count proposed to return on the evening ot the ball, if possible. . He directed the countess not to shut herself up on account of his absence, and, above all things, to order a new dress, and be ready for the fete, saying that if he arrived, in time he would join her; if not, she could go under the protection of the Countess Nold, who would call for her. The evening of the ball ' came, arid at nine o'clock the carriage of the Countess N old drove up before the apartments

of the Countess Konisberg. The old lady was anxious to be early in the long line of carriages, as she had not patience to sit over three hours on a winter night, awaiting her turn to alight at the imperial residence. That early arrival, mind you, was one *of the spider's webs upon which hung the destinies of more than one. I'll "warrant you Couut Konisberg has cursed it heartily every day of his life up to this, if it so be that he is still in the land of the living. " Ask madame, the countess, to decend directly," said the arbitary old creature to the footmen who opened the carriage door. " It's cold, and I will not alight if your mistress is ready." She waited fifteen — twenty — minutes. " These young coquetes are never willing to part romtHftir mirrors," she grumbled, just then Con itess Konisberg's dressing maid flew c own the steps, over the pavement, thrusting her pale face inside the carriage. " Oh, madame, what shall we do ? We are greatly alarmed* and the count being gone, we have no one to direct us. The door of the countess's room is locked upon the inside ; we can procure no answer to our appeals, and I'm afraid — I'm quite positive, madam, that I perceive the fumes of charcoal !" " Burst it open you fools !" cried the old lady, jumping to the ground as quickly as : a girl; ehe had taken an interest in the innocent affectionate bride, from the first day she had met her ; her own old heart was so worldly, through and through, that this simple nature had a great attraction for her. She flew up the stairs and applied her nose to the keyhole. " Bring an axe," she cried, "and say nothing outside. I don't want the police here, unless it's necessary." The terrified servants, obeying her resolute orders, soon had the door broken in ; the room was indeed full of deadly fumes from a small brazier, standing on a foot-stove near the chair, upon which sat the beautiful Countess Konisberg, in full grand toilette, her head thrown back against the cushions, her jewelled hands folded in her lap — dead. As sweetly as if sleeping, Bhe reclined in the easy-chair, her splendid hair elaborately dressed, glittering with diamond-dust, and the full folds of her white velvet petticoat and overskirt of lace shining with gems, as if dew had been dashedoverthem-I'mnotafashionreporter I hope, but I remember well all the details of this tragic affair as they were at that time thoroughly discussed. It was shortly before I left for America, and I was then in Paris endeavoring to raise money to pay my passage. " I thought you sailed from Bfemen," interrupted Biobbie. " Well, so I did, my child ; but I was in Paris earning money as a tutor, as I have said." "Kobbie, you are so brusque sometimes, you are almost rude. Go on, Louis, we are so much interested," said Mr Cameron. Windows were thrown open, and the lights, which were expiring, blazed up again. The half-dozen servants gazed stupidly at their young mistress. It was evident that she had deliberately prepared for and committed suicide. " This is bad, bad !" murmured the old countess. " I shall have to summon the prefect. Poor child ! I really believed her happy." " And to think I should have dressed her, with these very hands, not over an hour ago," sobbed her maid. " She hurried me so, for she Baid, madame, that you would be early, and she did not like to keep you waiting. She would have everything just so, even to the bouquet de corsage, for she said she expected the count would be home, and she wished him to admire her. She waß magnificent ! I was so proud of her ! n with fresh sobs. " How came you to leave her ?" " She bade me go get my dinner. She would read until you came. When I returned the door was fast. I thought nothing of until I came again after your arrival." " Perhaps she is not dead," said the energetic old countess. " If Bhe isn't I'll shake this nonsense out of her," and she dashed an ewer of water over the white face and bosom, dragged the apparent corpse close to the window, fanning, clapping and blowing, until yes ! actually — there was a struggle for breath — tha "lidß flew open, and again closed. But life was not entirely extinct, and those around her worked with vigor. In the meantime the carriage had been despatched for .a physician, who soon arrived, and under whoße careful treatment the nearly dead was called back to the existence she had seemed so anxious to quit. Just as she was laid upon her bed, pale, exhausted, still scarcely breathing, her ball dress drenched with water, her hair dishevelled, Count Konisberg burst into the room. He had heard from the servants what had occurred, and his face was nearly as white as hers ; his eyes shot fire ; it was impossible to tell whether he were most grieved ob angry. " Margaret !" Margaret!" he called in a loud voice, "how is this? Do you then hate me, that you kill yourself? I cannot believe it ! Doctor, I cannot understand it. If she did not love me, then I have deceived myself. Suicide! was it then because I refused her a necklace, which would have, coflj? me a. hundred thousand francs, when she has now three equally costly ? She was cross — but I did not dream of this. Great heavens ! how pale she is. Do you think she will live, Doctor ?" " She may, with extreme caution used in rallying her. But she will be on the brink of the grave for some days." " I myself will not sleep or leave her until she is out of danger. Give me my directions. Oh, Margaret !" bowing himself over the small hand, which lay. motionless on the counterpane. The Countess Nold afterwards declared that a shiver ran through the hand as he did bo. She, with characteristic decision, called fora dressing gown to put on over her finery, declaring her intention to remain as long as she could endure the fatigue. The count courteously begged of her not to attempt it ; it would weary her, and there was not the least necessity, he had his orders from the doctor, and should devote himself to their fulfilment. But she was in one of her obstinate moods — providential, I believe, she afterwards esteemed it. The doctor went

away, the maid curled herself upon a sofa, to catch snatches of sleep between times ; and the two watchers sat, hoar after hour, at opposite aides of the bead, their eyes fixed on the patient, occasionally giving her a stimulating potion. " One can do this aa well as two," the count had said several times. At last the old lady begau to noil ; lie arose, and going into the hall gave orders to a servant stationed there. " I have told them to bring out the carriage to take you home. I cannot permit you to overcome yourßelf in this manner, my kindest friend/ he said, as he came back, and she started out of an incipient snore. " Well ! well ! I suppose it is so. But I love the child as a daughter, and I'm coming back as soon as I have had my sleep out, to see how she progresses. By -by, Margaret — and don't you do anything so foolish again !" She stooped to kiss the patient, who was now lying with wideopen, anxious eyes, moving her lips, as if she wished to speak. Suddenly, as her visitor turned from the bed she sprang half up from her pillow, crying out. " Don't leave me, don't leave me alone with him !" " "What is it she says?" asked the astonished Countess Nold. " She must be wandering in her mind. I believe it is a consequence which we are to expect," answered the count, a littie impatiently. "You had better go at once. Nothing can be more beneficial to her than absolute quiet." The visitor glanced at the wife's face, which had had grown thin and haggard in its intense look of entreaty — more pathetic in its helplessness than any appeal of words. " I think I had better stay, since it seems to disturb her so to have me go away. She is a little flighty, no doubt; but 'tis best to humor her." She sat down again; profound Bilence reigned for about an hour. Suddenly the wife spoke distinctly :— " Countesß Nold, ' I pray you do not leave me alone with that man. He has tried to murder me. If I am left in his power he will succeeed." " She is mad," said the count. ' " It strikes me now that she confessed to me that there was insanity in her family. This explains all her conduct." "I am perfectly in my right mind. Unless you wish to be an accomplice in a murder, you mast not desert me. I warn you." " You see for yourself how absurd are her words. She shuts herself up in her room for the purpose of smothering herself, when I am miles distant on the railway. Mad! mad!" Countess Nold was bewildered. She stared at the restless husband, who was gnawing his lip with vexation, and at the wife, lying there half dead, but with beseeching eyes that kept themselves upon her face — thus till the early daylight paled the wax tapers ; then she shook the sleepy maid, and whispered in her ear strict injunctions not to leave her mistress alone, not even with the count. Supposing this to relate to her fear that Countess Konis* berg would again attempt suicide, the girl readily promised. For four days the count kept watch by his wife's bedside ; on the* fifth, overcome by sleep, he lay on a couch near at hand, when she slipped softly from her room, was speedily dressed by her maid and the Countess Nold, drove to the office of the Prefect of Police, and entered an accusation against her husband, for an attempt upon her life. She stated that, on the evening of the ball, after being dressed, she sent her maid down to dinner, and was beguiling the time with a book, when the Count, quite to her surprise, suddenly appeared in her room, She had not expected him until a later hour. He threw off a large travelling cloak, and a cap, as he entered, turning the key in the door. She was glad to see him, as they had never been separated so many days since their marriage ; he was in good spirits, complimented her on her toilet, and finally sat down on the arm of her chair, with his arm about her neck, and his handkerchief pressed to her face. "Your handkerchief smells of chloroform," she said. " I had the toothache on those horrid cars," he made answer. " Take it away, dear Karl, the odor overpowers me !" She testified to a distinct consciousness that he pressed it closer to her nostrils. She struggled a little ; but after that she remembered nothing, until she was aroused from a death-like trance, to hear her attendents talking of her attempt at Buicide. She declared that she had never attempted her own life— that she 1 knew nothing of the brazier of charcoal, nor of how it came to be lighted in her apartment — that she had not locked her door — and that it was her belief that Count Konisberg had, in some manner, and for some purpose unknown, plotted the whole affair, so as to murder her in such a manner as to make it appear that she had committed suicide. When she had thus made oath, she went away with the Countess Nold, who gave bail for her appearance as witness, when she should be called to trial. That evening Count Konisberg was in. prison, and Paris wild with flying rumors. The accused man so*n had a hearing, in which he proved an alibi, having at that hour, juftt cdigkfced froaa-g, tpon, at a atation in another part of the city, and the footman testified to having admitted him, after the physician had been summoned. Hi| defence was, that his wite's mind had been affected by the fumes- of the charcoal, and that this disturbed vision, when passing into the comatose state, upon coming out of it, appeared to her like reality. It might even be that memory wa» so affected that she could not recall the motives which urged her to suicide, nor the preparations made to effect it. These motives he attributed to pique at hiß having refused her an extravagant gift which she demanded. He spoke so reasonably, his demeanor towards his wife was so compassionate, his scorn at the idea of attributing such a crime to him so noble, that not one person in one hundred believed him guilty, and. he would have been dismissed without being remanded for further trial, had not another spider's web reached out and caught him. A miserable charcoal vendor came forward and testified that, on the night in qnestion, at about eight o'clock,

a tall gentleman in a cloak, with hia travelling cap pulled over his eyes, stopped and bought of him a few sous' worth of charcoal, which he wrapped in a fine cambric handkerchief, and stufted in the pocket of his cloak. That when he came to pay he had nothing leas than a gold piece, which he, the vendor, could not change. The gentleman waa in haste and could not wait but tossed the piece to him with an oath. He thought it so strange that this sort of a person should be baying a little charcoal that he resolved to follow him. It might only be a rich Englishman who wanted a little £re in his apartments, or the gentleman might have been crossed in love or have failed in business. At least, he would see all he could of him. He ran after him, keeping a safe distance, through several passages, until he emerged in a' little alley- way back of the Hotel Konsiberg — he knew the Bpot well, and was entirely certain it was the Hotel Konisberg. The man in the cloak admitted himself by a key, through the little gate of the court ; and the vendor was about .to retire, vexed — at his own indiscretion, in running so far from his business, when looking up, he saw the gentleman on the narrow iron balcony which ran below the windows on the second story. How he got there, unless he climbed the lightning rod, he could not say — but there he was, and after listening at one of the windows about three minutes, he threw it up and crept in, softly shutting it after himself. The witness could swear to the time, for at that instant a bell in a church near by struck eight. Apprehensive that a robber had got access to the hotel, he wished to give the alarm ; yet, thinking how ridiculous he should make himself if that were only an ordinary way for some of the inmates to enter the house (there might be steps to the balcony, for all he knew, the wall hid the lower Btory from his sight), he trotted back to his shop, well pleased with his gold piece. He swore that in stature, and the color of his beard, this person resembled the prisoner, and that he fully believed the count and this man to be one and the same. This unexpected testimony turned the tide of popular feeling against Count Konisberg. It was considered necessary to bold him for further trial, and he was returned to prison. That night, by Borne mysterious aid he escaped from the window ot his cell, and was never re-arrested, although the police searched every corner of France, Q-ermany, and Eng land. His flight, of course, confirmed his guilt. An after examination of the lock of the door of the countess's bedchamber made it evident that it had been tampered with. The alibi was not so powerful a point in his favor, since the railway time, being slightly in advance of the city clocks, by great haste he might have accomplished the distance to this I hotel by eight o'clock. It was the settled theory that he had obtained access j to his own house through a rear window, watched for the descent of the servants to dinner, gained his wife's appartments, rendered her insensible with chloroform, kindled the charcoal, and retreating, fastened the lock by means of a nipper, left the house the way he came, hastened back towards the station by some obscure route, and was driven up to the front of his hotel at the moment when he hoped her death was accomplished. Tbe early arrival of Countess Nold had alone thwarted him. Afterwards, he had not dared consummate what he began, even when his wife was in his power, her assertions to her friend having laid him open to suspicion. — * Too True,' in " Putnam's Magazine."