HMWiMMfflfife HBfflG 
 
 if 
 
 ■BHBWiHiWWffll IB 
 
 BHBWKWIHBhB HBHI 
 
 1 
 
 "^"^JHwi -''1;:;!';' 
 
 .. ,.r.n ^.. -fCTff,,,, ■|,|3^E— . 
 
 : : : : .. 
 
 Bf '' 
 
 ilfl 
 
 SB 
 
 'HwiiiTO 'I',' ii .' 
 
 pjiiilli 
 
 ■ 
 
 Slhlililiilii' 
 
 BlHfflBH 
 
 BfflffflBH 
 mm® mm 
 
 ■l (1 ; '■ 
 
 lllllipHiiHi! 
 Mm, 
 mwiiM 
 
 -jfliSi 
 11 IP 
 
 KiliHHIM 
 
GIFT OF 
 Prof. C. A. Kofoid 
 

> ) ) 3 
 ) 1 ) 1 
 
 • 333 
 
 ))319 9*33: 
 
 ••••• • •• » 
 
 3 
 
 3 3 3 3 , . , 
 
MISS NADAGE DOREE. 
 
GELTA; 
 
 OR, 
 
 THE CZAR AND THE SONGSTRESS. 
 
 A NOVEL. 
 
 1 -> • •> -> • I) ) 
 
 BY 
 
 NADAGE DOREE. 
 
 THIRD AND REVISED EDITION. 
 
 NEELY COMPANY, 
 NEW YORK. CHICAGO. LONDON. 
 
 p£/8<f7* 
 
(Ah 
 
 y 
 
 
 trtl 
 
 I • • • 4 
 
 • C • • •• 
 
 • • • • • « 
 
 Copyright, isSf,* * 
 
 BY 
 
 NADAGE DOREE, 
 All Rights Reserved. 
 
 fijj-j fcyc.A.&fJ 
 
TO 
 
 MY DARLING MOTHER (Seligj: 
 
 whose unselfish, pure and high ideal of life, ha? 
 been the beacon light which has safely guided mt 
 past the innumerable temptations, which beset a 
 young girl in her lonely battle with the world. 
 
 In reverent memory, this humble effort 
 
 Us BeMcateb, 
 
 by the Author. 
 
 MilMSO 
 
GELTA, 
 
 OR, 
 
 The Czar and the Cantatrice, 
 
 CHAPTEE L 
 
 It was a cold, rainy day towards the end of 
 January, and Gelta Dechon was loitering through 
 the spacious rooms of the British Museum with 
 that listlessness, with which one is apt to saunter 
 about a museum on a dull, rainy day. She some- 
 times lolled over the glass cases of coins, some- 
 times admiring an Etruscan vase, sometimes 
 studying the sarcophagus of an Egyptian mummy, 
 and sometimes trying to comprehend the allegor- 
 ical paintings on the lofty ceilings. 
 
 Whilst she was gazing about in this idle way 
 her attention was attracted to a distant door at 
 the end of the room, which, though she had many 
 times visited the room before, she had never ob- 
 served. The door was closed, but every now and then 
 would open and some solitary being would stepl 
 forth, when instantly it would close again. There 
 was an air of mystery about this that piqued her 
 languid curiosity, and she determined to attempt 
 
8 3ELTA : OR, 
 
 •the passage of thai; strait, and to explore the 
 unknown regions beyond. She tried to open the 
 door but found it locked; she knocked, but no 
 response. Then a monotonous voice reached her, 
 saying, " The bell to the right, Madam!" 
 
 She turned towards the Egyptian mummies, 
 whence the sound seemed to come, thinking, " Can 
 this be a remnant of Cleopatra's voice? " Then for 
 the first time that afternoon she perceived the 
 attendant who was drowsily sitting between two cof- 
 fined mummies; and who was now with half-awaken- 
 ed gestures trying to indicate the bell to the right. 
 
 Gelta saw it and thanked him. Upon pulling 
 the bell the door yielded to her hand with that 
 facility with which the portals of enchanted castles 
 yield to the adventurous knight errant. 
 
 She found herself in a narrow, short passage, 
 and was confronted by an attendant who, indicat- 
 ing a register to the left which was on a high desk, 
 said, " Please sign your full name and address." 
 
 After conforming with the rule, she entered the 
 only apartment leading from the passage. She 
 found herself in a small, square room whose walls 
 were surrounded with glass cases. About the 
 room were placed long stands, which also upheld 
 glass cases containing precious gems and some 
 of the finest cut cameos. A hushed stillness 
 reigned through this apartment, excepting, as the 
 guard at the entrance, after having thoroughly 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 9 
 
 scrutinized the new-comer, shifted his position of 
 drowsy watchfulness. While she was standing 
 before the famous Portland Vase, drinking in its 
 beauties, her attention was, for one brief moment, 
 attracted to a person who had just entered the 
 room, and who seemed to be gazing at her. He 
 was about twenty-four years of age, medium 
 height, and had a style of countenance between 
 the Roman and the Greek — a head that would have 
 pleased a painter — his gray-blue eyes, though 
 cold in expression, had the gleam of a poetical 
 soul. There was a dignity in his whole appear- 
 ance that indicated a being of a different order 
 from the bustling race around him ; he was a 
 scion of the Imperial Russian family, the Grand 
 Duke Ivan Demetrius. 
 
 Gelta, after a hurried glance at the new-comer 
 so as to assure herself it was not an acquaintance 
 whose attention she had attracted, continued 
 deeply interested in the different relics. 
 
 Amid the gloom and travail of existence, sud- 
 denly to behold a beautiful being, and as in- 
 stantaneously to feel an overwhelming conviction 
 that with that fair form forever our destiny must 
 be entwined ; that there is no more joy but in her 
 joy; that in her sighs of love, in her smile of 
 fondness, hereafter is all bliss ; to be willing to 
 violate in her favor every duty of society *,' this is 
 to be a lover, and this is real love ! Yes, it was 
 this mighty passion that now raged for the first 
 time in the heart of Demetrius, as pale and trem- 
 
10 gelta: or, 
 
 bling he finally withdrew from the apartment. He 
 could not realize, at the time, the character of the 
 feeling, which had so suddenly taken hold of him ; 
 he simply felt that he had been for the first time 
 fascinated by a beautiful woman, and that he 
 would endeavor to become acquainted with her. 
 He lingered in the outer room with his eyes 
 rivetted on the door to watch this lovely creature's 
 exit ; he stood for awhile, and thought that hours 
 must have elapsed, so long did her coming seem 
 to him. He had waited about twenty minutes, 
 when the door slowly opened, and Gelta sauntered 
 into the outer room. 
 
 At first she did not perceive him, and she con- 
 tinued to admire the many curios. The autograph 
 letters from different sovereigns, the Greek, Coptic 
 and Latin, papyri charters, and seals ; Burns' love 
 letters fascinated her. A little farther on she paused 
 to examine a warrior's head painted nearly three 
 thousand years ago, a supposed portrait of the mum- 
 my, upon the lid of whose coffin it was. Then she be- 
 came aware that the gentleman she had seen in the 
 treasure room was standing near and observing her. 
 As she moved to go, he politely raised his hat and said : 
 
 "I beg your pardon, but have you any idea 
 how they managed to make these portraits in olden 
 times, for I see by its date that this one is nearly 
 three thousand years old." 
 
 She looked scrutinizingly at him for a moment 
 to see whether his question had been simply a 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATBICE. 11 
 
 pretext to speak to her, but he appeared so earn- 
 est, as he continued — 
 
 "I have been standing here for some time, 
 puzzling my brain about it, but there seems to be 
 no one about here who could enlighten a traveler 
 since the guard," indicating the drooping figure 
 between the two coffins, " has soared away into 
 dreamland." 
 
 Gelta faintly smiled as her eyes followed his 
 gesture toward the unconscious guard. 
 
 " Yes," she replied, " I believe these portraits 
 are considered some of the most valuable of 
 the museum's collection of curios. They are sup- 
 posed to have been painted with a mixture com- 
 posed of honey and wax, for paint had not been 
 discovered in those ancient days. They have 
 marvellously withstood time's ravages for they 
 look as bright to-day, and their facial expressions 
 are as distinct, as if it were but three years in- 
 stead of three thousand years since these were 
 painted." 
 
 He bowed politely and with a low, soft voice he 
 said : " I am under deep obligations to you, 
 Madam, since your explanation has enhanced 
 their artistic value in my estimation." 
 
 ' * Pray don't speak of it, ' ' she continued. ' i One 
 
 is apt to attach more interest to any object, the 
 
 moment its origin can be traced. ' ' 
 
 "Quite so," he interposed. 
 
 " Have you noticed this portrait," she continued 
 
 moving towards another mummy ; u it is the like- 
 
12 gelta: or, 
 
 ness of a young girl, and judging from the features, 
 she must have been very beautiful." 
 
 " Yes," he replied, " but I prefer the beauty of 
 the 19th century, there is a subtile refinement 
 which permeates the young girl of to-day, which 
 was totally unknown in olden times." 
 
 Gelta looked up into his face, as she said : " I 
 perceive you have some odd ideas, for I have 
 heard many people, and some very bright ones, 
 bemoan the fact of the present period's lack of 
 chivalry in men, and refinement in women, when 
 compared with the grace of all those who lived 
 in the ancient days of song and knighterrantry." 
 
 "That is a grave error," he said seriously, 
 " people should never look backwards, progress 
 means forward." 
 
 " On the contrary, I firmly believe in looking 
 backwards," she answered, " for one can review 
 the faults and mistakes that have been committed 
 in the past by people with the best of intentions, 
 and draw a profitable example for the future. 
 For instance, I have been looking back," she said 
 with a smile, " at the last half hour and my pru- 
 dent nature has cause to reproach me for ex- 
 changing ideas with a stranger, to whom I have 
 not even been introduced." 
 
 " I beg your pardon," he answered, thrusting 
 his hand in his breast pocket as if searching for 
 a visiting card which he did not find, " my name 
 is Count Varicoff, and yours ? " he slowly inquired. 
 
 " Excuse me," she quickly replied, somewhat 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 13 
 
 dismayed at the turn the conversation had sud- 
 denly taken, "you have misconstrued my last 
 remark ! I did not expect you to introduce your- 
 self, nor do I intend to follow your example ; 
 we are total strangers, we have accidentally, 
 through not wishing to appear discourteous, ex- 
 changed a few remarks concerning the exhibits 
 in this public building, Mais ce reste la ! " 
 
 " Ah ! " he said, " I felt positive you were 
 French, although your English is so perfect ! " 
 
 Gelta smiled and replied, "No, I am not 
 French !" 
 
 " Well, then with those wonderful dark eyes of 
 yours you must belong to Spain." 
 
 She archly shook her head in the negative. 
 
 " Well, then, Italian." 
 
 "No," she continued, "I am not Italian." 
 
 He looked at her thoroughly puzzled ; for she 
 had answered him with a perfect accent in the 
 different languages with which he had associated 
 her. " Certainly not German ? " he queried. 
 " Nein mein Herr ; " she replied with a delicious, 
 German accent. 
 
 " Well, you have mystified me," he slowly said, 
 as they were seating themselves on a bench, facing 
 a huge sarcophagus which contained beneath a 
 glass case, the whitened skeleton of a man. 
 
 Gelta turned towards the Count remarking, 
 
 Look at this Daked cage of bone, 
 
 From -which the winged soul has long since flown ! 
 
 It has a special fascination for me. I sat here 
 
14 gelta: or, 
 
 for several hours last week, trying to picture to 
 myself whether it was a good or a bad man, 
 who, during his brief existence, inhabited that 
 worm eaten frame ! ' 
 
 " You seem to picture life in a very gloomy 
 aspect," he replied ; " one would scarcely expect 
 such a severe view from so brilliant and beautiful 
 a young girl." " Beautiful or not," she answered, 
 " what does it all amount to ? " and lifting to his, 
 her face, which now looked lovely from the in- 
 ward agitation, she said, " Beauty, youth, wealth, 
 what does it all amount to in the end ? there ! " 
 pointing to the skeleton, " merely nothing. Hence 
 the absurdity of thinking oneself better than 
 one's neighbor. If one is really superior, then 
 it becomes one's duty to exercise that superiority 
 with a gentle kindness, so that our neighbors may 
 be influenced for better, by its gentle contact. 
 God did not endow some of us with better 
 qualities in order that we should hoard them, or 
 selfishly hide them, or stand haughtily aloof from 
 our weaker brothers ; no, God, when He endowed 
 some of us with the stronger qualities of virtue, 
 did so solely that we should mingle with those 
 less virtuous, that they may be lifted up, puri- 
 fied, by our contact." 
 
 He contemplated this young girl in silent 
 wonder, and Gelta unconsciously continued as if 
 she were speaking to a dear old friend. "Have 
 you seen the poor in the East end of London ? " 
 she asked. "Uo," he replied, "I have been here 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 15 
 
 only a few days." "Well, since my arrival two 
 weeks ago," she continued, "I have visited that 
 part twice; the poverty and misery are simply 
 appalling, especially the wretched condition of the 
 poor Russian emigrant Jews." He started im- 
 perceptibly. "They are driven from the land of 
 their birth," she went on, "the land of their youth 
 and home associates; tossed upon this island 
 without money, without friends, without even 
 being capable of speaking a word of the language, 
 and their personal aspect is so deplorable, 
 rendered so, forcibly, through lack of the com- 
 mon necessities during their wanderings, that the 
 few Gentiles who approach them become imme- 
 diately prejudiced at their dirty appearance." 
 
 "You have pity for these people, these Jews? 
 Are you sure they deserve it?" 
 
 "Deserve it? Have they not been the means of 
 civilizing the world? Giving it poetry, music, 
 commerce, religion, a God, and what does the 
 Christian in his ignorance do for all these splen- 
 did gifts? Persecutes the Jew, his benefactor.' ' 
 Then turning her face fully towards him, she 
 continued, "Let us look at these poor persecuted 
 people for a brief moment with an unprejudiced 
 eye. They are religious. They are moral. They 
 have retained many wonderful and noble virtues. 
 They bear the traces of the divine education, for 
 the Jewish nation forms a wonderful unity. Other 
 nations are formed in process of time, through 
 
16 gelta: ob, 
 
 the amalgamation of different tribes and races. 
 They may be cognate tribes, still they are differ- 
 ent tribes that at first lived together ; and after- 
 wards coalesced, and in course of time became a 
 united nation. But Israel, consists of the de- 
 scendant's of twelve brothers. They are one 
 family. They are not an aggregate of different 
 tribes. They are the descendants of the twelve 
 sons of Jacob, who was the son of the only one 
 — Isaac — who was the son of Abraham. They 
 are all hewn out of one rock ; one family, one 
 brotherhood, one nation, is this Israel." 
 
 Count Yaricoff listened silently with bowed 
 head, and she continued, " Israel is to exist as a 
 nation — to the very end. They may be persecuted, 
 they may be put to death in many places, every 
 kind of cruelty may be practiced against them. 
 People may try to diminish their population or 
 their influence as they did in Pharaoh's time. 
 They may be hunted and chased from one country 
 to another, as was the case in the middle ages ; 
 or they may be wealthy and honored, influential 
 and cultured, they may assimilate themselves with 
 the nations among whom they live ! They will al~ 
 ways remain a separate nation till the end of the 
 world. Neither adversity nor prosperity can alter 
 this. God's counsels and purposes centre in them. 
 All the promises that are given to the Gentile' na- 
 tions, have their centre in Israel. Christianity is 
 incomprehensible without Judaism, it is nothing, 
 for Christianity is merely transposed Judaism." 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 17 
 
 "You lament the old faith?" he said in a tone 
 of respect not unmoved ! 
 
 "I am not viewing the question as one of 
 faith," Gelta answered in a tone of plaintiveness. 
 * * It is not as a matter of religion, but as a matter 
 I should say of private right, and public hap- 
 piness." 
 
 "You plead their cause with much feeling," 
 interposed the Count. 
 
 "It is my own cause," she replied simply. "I 
 belong to the noble house of Israel." 
 
 " Ah! " he ejaculated intently looking at her. 
 
 "You seem surprised," she queried. 
 
 " Yes, I confess I am," he answered, M for you 
 have not a Jewish cast of features. ' ' 
 
 "No, I have not, I admit," she said, "there- 
 fore, I am very rarely taken for a Jewess, but if 
 you will observe the expression of my eyes, you 
 will see that divine light of intelligence, re- 
 flected through Israel's daughters who glory 
 in a race of forefathers whose efforts have ever 
 been to benefit and uplift humanity. 
 
 The Count watched the deep splendor of her 
 eye, and the mantling of her radiant cheek, as she 
 spoke those latter words with not merely anima- 
 tion but fervor; his gaze rested on her beautiful 
 hair, whose long brown locks of luxuriant richness 
 were drawn off a low Greek forehead, which was 
 the very throne of thought and majesty; he 
 watched her rich coral lips still quivering with the 
 
18 
 
 passion of her words. " But upon one point there 
 can be no controversy," said the Count with a 
 smile and bowing, "Jewess or not, you are cer- 
 tainly very beautiful." 
 
 " Ah ! " she answered, " I perceive that you are 
 a flatterer." 
 
 " Not at all, I assure you, Madam, I am only 
 sincere ! " At that moment light footsteps were 
 heard ; some visitors had entered the apartment. 
 It was a tall mature blonde accompanied by a 
 slight young man; they were taking a hurried 
 view of the curios. The guard continued to nap 
 drowsily at the further end of the room, between 
 the two coffins. Gelta and the Count sat silently, 
 gazing at the sarcophagus in front of them con- 
 taining the fleshless cage. The visitors drew 
 nearer and were attracted to the skeleton in the 
 coffin ; then the lady turned and looked at Gelta, 
 who in her turn noticed the new comer ; a flash 
 of recognition passed between them. Though 
 they were not personally acquainted, profession- 
 ally they had met several times in Paris. The 
 lady and her companion moved on, and Gelta 
 turned to the Count and in an undertone she said, 
 " that lady," mentioning her name, " is one of the 
 most famous of our American actresses." 
 
 " Indeed ! " said the Count turning around to 
 get a good look at the retreating figure, " I have 
 heard of her." Then he continued, once more 
 facing Gelta, " she seemed to recognize you ! " 
 
 " Oh ! I met her once in society ! " Gelta an- 
 
THE CZAB AND THE CANTATBICE. 19 
 
 swered carelessly, and rising she gaid, " I think it 
 must be late." 
 
 " It is a quarter to four," he replied, consulting 
 his watch. "Fancy we have been sitting here 
 for nearly two hours," he added with a smile. 
 
 " Indeed ! " she answered with surprised mien, 
 " I cannot realize it, the time seems to have flown 
 so quickly." 
 
 " I agree with you," he replied smilingly. They 
 walked on in silence for a while, they had entered 
 into the next apartment and were listlessly strol- 
 ling along without being especially attracted to 
 any one object. Few or no visitors seemed to be 
 about. Without the rain came down in torrents ; 
 so they lingered in the different rooms; now and 
 again perceiving a keeper in a remote corner 
 napping. They all appeared to be affected with 
 a comatose condition, evidently from lack of proper 
 exercise or want of variety. So they all sat peace- 
 fully nodding, and every now and then opening 
 an eye, to scrutinize a stray visitor ; and then 
 drop off into dreamland again. 
 
 They had passed into several of the different 
 apartments when moving towards a seat which he 
 indicated, he said, " Let us remain here for a few 
 moments ! Do you know," he continued, as they 
 were seating themselves once more, looking her 
 fully in the face, "your eulogium of the house of 
 Israel has quite touched me ? In fact you have 
 roused my sympathies towards that race ! I have 
 had little or no opportunity to study them ! and 
 
20 gelta: ob, 
 
 the very few I have met had their characters so 
 distorted by my friends, who introduced them to 
 me, that I am fain to admit, that I have viewed 
 them with a prejudiced eye ! 
 
 "To be conscious," she said sweetly, "that you 
 have committed a fault, is a great step toward 
 reparation. In the future, I hope you will exer- 
 cise a little more Christianity toward your fellow 
 beings, and judge people by their personal actions 
 and just conduct, and not by the accident of birth." 
 He bowed; the admonition sank deep into his 
 heart; then rousing himself and with a peculiar 
 ring in his voice, he said: 
 
 "You Americans are a wonderful people: you 
 think nothing of traveling all over the world in 
 order to gain a keen knowledge and insight into 
 the different people's character. Tell me, have 
 you ever been to Eussia? " 
 
 "No," she answered, "nor have I any desire 
 to go there." 
 
 "And yet, I have been told," he observed, "that 
 it is a very delightful country and that the Eus- 
 sians are a very affable class of people." 
 
 "Perhaps they are," she answered, "but I, as a 
 true American girl and a Jewess, do not admire 
 their way of government." 
 
 "Ah, you take an active interest in politics?" 
 
 "Not at all," she replied, " only passive. When 
 one reads the daily papers, one is perforce aufait 
 of current events." A moment's silence elapsed, 
 then he resumed, meanwhile watching her face 
 
THE CZAB AND THE CJANTATRICE. 21 
 
 intently: "The Czar must be a heartless tyrant, 
 judging from the accounts of his action in the 
 press ! I should think the world would be better 
 off without him." 
 
 " I do not agree with you," she quietly said; " if 
 the present Czar were to die, or be assassinated, 
 some one equally as harsh would succeed him, 
 and ninety million souls would still be tyranized 
 over. No," she continued, " it is not the present 
 Czar, who is at fault, but his manner of govern- 
 ing ; he follows the precedents of his ancestors, 
 who, during their reign over an uncivilized set of 
 people, were no doubt compelled, to adopt certain 
 methodical tortures ; but it is the gravest mistake 
 for a monarch, in this enlightened age, to persist 
 in employing remnants of ancient barbarism." He 
 offered no comment and she continued: " I pity 
 the Czar and his family." 
 
 " You pity the Czar," he said, interrupting her, 
 and with suppressed animation continued: "You, 
 a Jewess, can have a feeling of pity for the Czar, 
 who has done so much towards persecuting your 
 race ? " 
 
 "It is for that very reason," she remarked, 
 " that I solemnly pity the Czar, because he does 
 not realize the enormity of his crime, because he 
 does not realize the dreadful sufferings he has 
 heaped upon his subjects; in his dreadful ignor- 
 ance, inculcated solely by ancient barbaric ideas, 
 he sorely needs our pity, for his life must be a 
 perfect misery : always on the alert to ward off 
 
22 gelta: or, 
 
 the assassin's blow, never feeling sure of the real 
 devotion of his nearest kin ; and knowing that 
 Russia's throne cannot remain upon its tottering 
 pedestal much longer — realizing all this as he 
 certainly must, and not having the strength of 
 character, the manliness, to break through those 
 barbaric traditions, and abolish torture and in- 
 human punishments, not having the courage to 
 be progressive and move with the age in its en- 
 lightened ideas ; seeing all this as he certainly 
 must, hated and feared by his nearest subjects, 
 he is indeed a truly wretched man, and worthy of 
 all right thinking people's pity.' 
 
 She looked radiant in her eloquence ; every 
 word of hers had gone straight to his soul like so 
 many arrows of truth. His eyes had been riveted 
 upon her compassionate countenance. Then with 
 agitated voice he said : 
 
 "You would make a superb heroine for the 
 Nihilistic cause." 
 
 " Thank you, she said, rising with chilly hau- 
 teur ; " you forget that I am a true Jewess, there- 
 fore I do not approve of dark underhand plotting 
 or brutal murder. The house of Israel from its 
 very origin dealt with its opponents openly. 
 There never were any underhand plottings or 
 dark woven conspiracies in Israel's controversies 
 with their opponents, never ; when Abraham 
 embraced Judiasm, he did it openly, when Moses 
 undertook to liberate the Jews from their bond- 
 age, he did not assassinate his opponent King 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 23 
 
 Pharoah, in whose palace lie often visited. No, 
 but he demanded their liberation openly ! As a 
 matter of justice and public right. To this day 
 the character, there are precious few among 
 Israel's children who are house-breakers, mur- 
 derers or fiends incarnate ; for Israel is a peace- 
 loving race, and shrinks from the sight of blood. 
 Therefore they have at time been called cowards, 
 but their nobility of soul treats with silent con- 
 tempt the epithets thrust at them by ignorance." 
 
 He bowed very low as he apologized for having 
 made a remark which she had misconstrued into 
 an insult. 
 
 " Oh ! you could not insult me," she said, her 
 hauteur having somewhat relaxed into a smile. 
 " I simply wanted to disabuse your mind of its 
 narrow conceptions of the Jew's characteristics." 
 
 They were passing into the next apartment in 
 order to leave the building when Gelta neared 
 the exit. She saw the door was closed ; she tried 
 it and found it had been locked. She stood for a 
 few moments silently perplexed ; the blood rose 
 to her cheek ; her heart trembled ; for the first 
 time in his presence she felt embarrassed. His 
 countenance on the contrary was collected, serious 
 and pale. A mad impulse had flashed through 
 his being ! he yearned to take this lovely girl in 
 his arms, to kiss those lustrous daring eyes, to 
 fold her to his heart ! " But," he reasoned, " one 
 imprudent gesture might lose her to me for ever ; " 
 for a vague hope had flittered through his mind 
 
24 gelta: or, 
 
 that some day their lives would be linked together. 
 So, after a moment's silence he remarked with a 
 clear, calm voice, "I see we are locked in." 
 
 " Yes," she replied, in a constrained tone. " Is 
 there no other exit about here ? " he asked. 
 
 " No," she answered ; " what's the time ? " 
 
 " Nearly seven o'clock," he said looking at his 
 watch. 
 
 " Oh ! that accounts for it," replied Gelta, 
 " they close at six ; " and then, as she suddenly 
 recollected — " they open at 8 P. M., so we won't 
 have long to wait. So stupid of those sleepy 
 guards not to have warned us ! " 
 
 " Yes," he assented, and inwardly he blessed 
 their negligence. They returned to the room they 
 had just left. 
 
 " Won't you be seated ? " he asked. 
 
 " No, thanks, I prefer standing," she answered ; 
 as she in silence began slowly to pace up and 
 down the room. He saw that her mind was agit- 
 ated, so he made no attempt to join her ; which 
 somewhat reassured Gelta, for she became more 
 calm. Then after a pause she again asked the 
 time. 
 
 " It is a quarter of eight," he replied, replacing 
 the watch in his pocket. 
 
 " Fifteen minutes more," she thought ! 
 
 "Won't you tell me your name?" he asked 
 again with pleading voice. " I give you my word 
 of honor that you will never have cause to re- 
 gret, for having made an exception, in my behalf ; 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 25 
 
 for dispensing with, the formality of being pro- 
 perly introduced; since we are both foreigners 
 away from home. And then," he slowly added, 
 throwing down as if it were the trump card, " I 
 may be able to persuade some of my friends, to 
 render the poor immigrant Jews in the East End 
 some practical assistance." 
 
 "Really?" exclaimed Gelta with undisguised 
 pleasure, her face lighting up with enthusiasm. 
 And as she gazed fully into his heavenly blue 
 eyes she felt part of her soul go out to him. 
 
 She was visibly troubled at the new feeling 
 which had invaded her being ; with downcast eyes 
 and subdued tones she said: " Pray, don't insist 
 further for the present, but if you will let me 
 know where a letter might reach you, I will think 
 it over and let you know to-morrow." 
 
 " To-morrow ! to-morrow," he echoed, "seems a 
 long way off. Why not now? " he pleaded. " There 
 is no time like the present." 
 
 " I beg of you as a gentleman, not to insist fur- 
 ther." 
 
 He bowed in low submissiveness, then tore a 
 scrap of blank paper out of a diary and wrote 
 upon it " Count Varicoff, 45 Portland Square ! " 
 
 As he handed it to her their hands met for the 
 first time, a sweet thrill rapidly coursed through 
 their beings as they stood silently facing each 
 other for a brief moment; the place had suddenly 
 become transformed into a paradise — they heard 
 the door being unlocked and saw the guard re- 
 
26 gelta: or, 
 
 turn without evincing the slightest surprise at 
 their being there. 
 
 Mechanically they made their exit, without 
 asking, or giving any explanation to the attendant, 
 who simply smiled while watching the retreating 
 couple. Soon they found themselves outside the 
 museum; she beckoned to a hansom. 
 
 "Won't you let me drive you to your resi- 
 dence," he pleaded as she entered the cab. 
 
 "No," she said quietly but firmly, "not this 
 evening." 
 
 " Will you visit the museum to-morrow after- 
 noon?" 
 
 " I cannot say," she answered. 
 
 " You will be sure to write to me ? " 
 
 " On my word I promise to do so." 
 
 He lifted his hat, his eyes beaming with a poetic 
 fire at her last assurance; then, putting his head 
 near to hers, he whispered: "Where shall I tell 
 him to drive you? " 
 
 She smiled and said, " Towards Charing Cross." 
 
 " You are cruel," he replied reproachfully; " but 
 you will write ? " 
 
 "Without a doubt." 
 
 " Thanks," he said grasping her hand with fer- 
 vor and holding it for a moment. Then he told 
 the cabman to drive towards Charing Cross, and 
 with another clasp of the hands and a bow, Gelta 
 was soon out of sight. 
 
THE CZAB AND THE CANTATRIOE. 27 
 
 CHAPTEE IL 
 
 It was night, clear and serene, though the moon 
 had not risen; a vast concourse of persons were 
 hurrying to and fro. The Count's slight form 
 mingled with the pedestrians in Kegent street. 
 The North wind blew softly over his face, while 
 an almost transparent mist of rain spread slowly 
 over London again. The Count's brain was a 
 whirl of undefined and conflicting emotions, and 
 he gave himself up to them with strange delight; 
 for 'twas not in vain that he had felt the pressure 
 of her beautiful hand. The touch had been but 
 of a few seconds, but even this very short time 
 sufficed to electrify him through and through: to 
 make another man of him. 
 
 An electric current takes but a second to 
 change apiece of iron into a magnet; a single 
 moment will produce on the photographic plate 
 the picture of a landscape or a human figure. 
 The body, the soul, the attractiveness and 
 beauty of that willowy being had fixed itself in- 
 delibly on the Grand Duke Demetrius. "When 
 he returned to his house in Portland square, 
 which had been placed at his disposal for himself 
 and suite, he was much astonished to see his 
 faithful old secretary, Baron Gorschofsky full of 
 agitation. 
 
 " So late, your Highness," said Gorschofsky in 
 
28 gelta: ob, 
 
 a tone of relief. " I was in such an awful suspense 
 when you did not return at five o'clock as you 
 said you would. I feared lest some of those Ni- 
 hilist dogs who infest Soho square might have 
 been apprised of your being in London and — " 
 
 " No fear of that," said the Count good natur- 
 edly, interupting him; " our secret is too well kept. 
 Besides, very few people would recognize your 
 Master in these plain citizens clothes on a crowded 
 thoroughfare in London. It is the old saying: 
 'One is most isolated amidst a crowd.' Has 
 Prince Sfcarabielsky been here?" 
 
 "Yes, your Highness, he called at three o'clock 
 and looked somewhat disappointed at not finding 
 your Highness in." Gorschofsky answered with 
 bowed head, and silently waited for further in- 
 structions. 
 
 " Very well," replied the Count after a few mo- 
 ment's musing ; " I will see Prince Starabielsky 
 to-morrow morning at 11 sharp ; and now you 
 can leave me ; I shall retire early as I feel some- 
 what fatigued, and a good long sleep will refresh 
 me. 
 
 " Has your Highness decided to return home at 
 the end of this week ? " 
 
 " Yes, Gorschofsky, therefore you must not fail 
 to expedite those other matters ! " 
 
 " Everything will be in perfect readiness, your 
 Highness ; any further instructions ? " 
 
 " Not at present," replied the Count ; and Gor- 
 schofsky, bowing very low, silently left the room. 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 29 
 
 For some time Count Varicoff sat perfectly mo- 
 tionless, lost in deep thought. State affairs of 
 vast import, family ties, home duties, all in their 
 turn quickly presented themselves in his mental 
 gallery ; and amid them all, standing out in bold 
 relief, was the lovely face of the young girl, who 
 had unconsciously crossed his path that afternoon. 
 " I cannot believe " he mused, " that our meeting 
 was only an accident ! No ! it was intended by 
 fate ! " and then a mellow warmth pervaded his 
 entire being ! " Ah ! " he sighed, " and to think I 
 do not even know her name ! " However, he felt 
 convinced she would grant him another opportu- 
 nity of meeting her, since he had rightly read in 
 her passionate eyes, an unconscious gleam, testi- 
 fying he was not altogether indifferent to her. 
 And then he thought how strange it is that she 
 should be a Jewess — a daughter of a race upon 
 whom he had always looked down with scorn ! 
 And then he tried to shake off with a laugh a 
 touch of remorse ; at the thought of how many 
 innocent Jews had felt the awful sting of his deep- 
 rooted prejudice. " Never mind ! " he jocularly 
 concluded ; " I will make amends by loving a 
 Jewess — to-morrow I may see her." And so he 
 retired, that to-morrow might arrive sooner 
 
30 gelta: or, 
 
 CHAPTEK III. 
 
 Gelta soon arrived at her hotel and after hav- 
 ing partaken of some light supper, she comfort- 
 ably ensconced herself in an easy chair, and essayed 
 to drink in the poetic beauties of her favorite 
 Tasso's "Jerusalem delivered.'* She felt more 
 serene and cheerful than for a long period had 
 been her wont. Sometimes she turned for a mo- 
 ment from her volume and fell into a deep reverie 
 of the morrow. She sighed for the good old days 
 when she had her treasured mother's love to shield 
 herself in from the cold calculating world ; she 
 saw herself once more a little babe surrounded by 
 the most unselfish and tenderest loves ; she saw 
 herself once more a happy careless child, before 
 hard study and relentless ambition had been 
 crowded into her innocent life ; then there rose 
 before her all those touching images of the past, 
 and she compared her present isolation from all 
 kindred ties, and her eyes filled with tears. She 
 realized for the first time what a void there had 
 been in her heart since her mother's death. She 
 had tried to shut out the yearning with constant 
 work and occupation, but now the yearning became 
 once more sensible. And blended with it the 
 thought, of one, — whom she had met that day, and 
 who alas, did not impress her at all like a stranger ! 
 but on the contrary seemed like an old and trusted 
 
THR CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 31 
 
 friend. His voice even now lingered in her ears ; 
 she recalled without an effort those tones of the 
 afternoon, tones so full of sympathy and yet of 
 wisdom, that had sounded so full of tenderness 
 for her. Never had man appeared to her in a 
 light so subduing. A thousand images, dazzling 
 and wild, rose in her mind ; a thousand thoughts, 
 beautiful and quivering, clustered round her 
 heart. For a moment she indulged in impossible 
 dreams, and seemed to have entered a newly-dis- 
 covered world. The horizon of her experience 
 expanded like the glittering heaven of a fairy tale ; 
 her eyes were fixed in lustrous contemplation; 
 the flush on her cheek was a messenger from her 
 heart, the movement of her mouth would have in 
 an instant become a smile, when the clock struck 
 twelve ! and Gelta started from her reverie and 
 decided to retire at once, and not think till morn- 
 ing. But all night she lay with open eyes. Sleep 
 did not woo her — she was strangely feverish and 
 agitated. Night waned, and Gelta was at last 
 slumbering; the cold that preceded the dawn had 
 stolen over her senses and calmed the excitement 
 of her nerves. Her slumber was brief and dis- 
 turbed, but it had, in a great degree, soothed the 
 irritated brain. She woke, however, in terror from 
 a dream in which she saw herself hopelessly in 
 love with the strange man, whom she had met 
 only the previous afternoon at the museum ; and 
 who, although he reciprocated her deep love, 
 could never be her husband ! She sat for some 
 
32 gelta: ob, 
 
 time on the edge of her bed, she seemed with 
 open eyes still to continue her dream, still to ex- 
 perience the new sensation which had come over 
 her. As she saw her passionate lover pleading 
 at her feet, slowly came over Gelta the conviction 
 that it was Fate, who had willed this unlooked 
 for meeting, in order to juggle with her feelings. 
 She remained for some time bowed in silent 
 prayer. Then she rose with a determined calm- 
 ness, as she mentally resolved to out-wit Fate ! 
 That morning she was to visit White Chapel, but 
 before doing so, she sat down and wrote to the 
 Count, since she had given her word that he 
 would hear from her. She likewise determined 
 to leave London that very week, in order that she 
 should not change the good resolution which she 
 had formed. Never again would she see the only 
 man who had impressed her girlish heart ! 
 
 CHAPTEE IV. 
 
 On the following morning, after a sleepless 
 night, the Grand Duke Demetrius was sitting in 
 his study enjoying the conviction that he would 
 that day again see his beautiful incognita, and 
 would then learn her name. He also determined 
 in return to divulge to her his own high family 
 connections, and the name by which he was really 
 known. Of course, Count Yaricoff was one of his 
 numerous titles ; but he very rarely availed him- 
 
THE CZAR AND THE OANTATRICE. 33 
 
 self of its use ; lie also determined to speak of his 
 feelings towards her, and see what plans they 
 could arrange for the future, since his stay in 
 London was of necessity very limited. He had 
 given strict orders to his valet not to be disturb- 
 ed by callers before eleven o'clock. When he was 
 once more alone he fell into a deep reverie ; he 
 thought of, and analyzed the manifold feelings of 
 that happy moment when he first beheld her in the 
 treasure room, and when later she sat near and con- 
 versed with him, when with glowing eyes he out- 
 lined her beautiful form. And, oh ! that voice ! 
 which had thrilled his soul ; he had the feeling as 
 if she were still sitting near him ; he felt that 
 mighty feverish sensation, which for the first time 
 in his life, had come over him at sight of her. He 
 had seen and courted hundreds of beautiful women. 
 He had fluttered like others from flower to flower, 
 and like others, had often fancied the last perfume 
 the sweetest, and then had flown away But now 
 he was entirely captivated. This was the first 
 woman who without suing, had involuntarily got 
 closer to his heart than all other women. 
 
 He could not forget that when he had held her 
 hand on parting, though it had been but for one 
 short moment, the touch had sufficed to electrify 
 him through and through. He could not forget 
 this embrace of the palm. It would last for ever ! 
 as long as life. For this delirium of the senses 
 he found, as one always does, but one anodyne, to 
 possess her. 
 
34 gelta: or, 
 
 Exactly at eleven o'clock Baron Gorschofsky 
 announced Prince Starabielsky. The Prince sub- 
 mitted several matters of State in the interest of 
 the Bussian government which had been com- 
 pleted, and then he withdrew. The Grand Duke 
 soon dispatched some other official visitors, and 
 when he found himself once more alone, im- 
 mediately his thoughts flew to her. It was now 
 half-past twelve o'clock. She had not written, 
 which he considered a very good omen, for he felt 
 sure she would again meet him that afternoon. 
 After hurriedly partaking of a light lunch, he 
 drove to the British Museum, in order to find 
 himself within the room which she had but yes- 
 terday graced with her presence. At first he did 
 not notice how long he had waited, as he sat there 
 upon the same bench, which she yesterday only 
 had shared with him; he was plunged in medi- 
 tations, he remembered how the first look which 
 he had thrown on her childish face had evoked 
 within him feelings such as he had never known 
 for any other being on earth. How warm and 
 tender was the bright flush of her deep set 
 eyes, how gracefully symetrical her form, how 
 thick the masses of dark brown wavv hair that 
 
 m 
 
 clustered behind her small quick ear, all the 
 smallest details of her were indelibly graven on 
 his memory; he sat there with feverish expec- 
 tancy, and every now and then, when sounds of a 
 few visitors strolling into the room reached him, 
 he would quickly turn his head towards the door, 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRLCE. 35 
 
 hoping to see his beautiful incognita, and after 
 each disappointment console himself with the 
 thought that she would come a little later; and 
 then he would once more indulge in sweet mys- 
 terious reveries. 
 
 And so the hours slowly rolled on but she came 
 not. He consulted his watch for the hundredth 
 time and found it was a few minutes after five 
 o'clock, he knew the place closed at six; he still 
 hoped that she might walk in perhaps at the very 
 last moment, and so he waited. He mentally re- 
 peated every word, every look that had passed 
 between them, and he felt convinced that he had 
 impressed her favorably — therefore he never for a 
 moment thought that he would not see her again. 
 However, he remained until the museum closed, 
 then he hurried home, hoping to find a note from 
 her, since she had given him her word that she 
 would write, and he was right in feeling sure that 
 he would hear from her; but it was not till the 
 next morning after a most restless night, filled 
 with agitated dreams that, as he was pacing up 
 and down his study, his servant entered and de- 
 livered a letter marked personal, which had been 
 posted late the night before. The writing though 
 bold and well-formed was in a lady's hand, which 
 indicated great strength of character in the writer. 
 He hesitated before opening it, as instinct told 
 him it was from his fair incognita; he wanted to 
 gather all his courage before perusing its con- 
 tents. 
 
36 qelta: or, 
 
 There are moments, when we feel a crisis is 
 about to take place in our lives and we hesitate, 
 in order to collect our strength, to counteract the 
 shock which we may have to face. Such moments, 
 demonstrate to us our will power. 
 
 Demetrius glanced once more about the room 
 to be sure he was alone, then hurriedly unsealed 
 the letter. It ran thus. 
 
 Dear Count, I write this as I promised that 
 you would hear from me. I have given much 
 serious thought to our meeting, and would have 
 been delighted, if we could have still further cul- 
 tivated our acquaintance, if only in the interest 
 of those poor Kussian emigrant Jews, in whose 
 behalf, you told me you would practically interest 
 some of your influential friends. However, I 
 sincerely hope that our not meeting again, will 
 not deter you from your noble resolution, in at- 
 tempting to assist, those friendless strangers, 
 whom religious bigotry has driven from their 
 own native land upon a foreign isle ! , 
 
 In order to disabuse your mind of any notion 
 that because of several remarks you made, during 
 our conversation, I may feel somewhat prejudiced 
 against you, I will be bold enough to confess my 
 real reason, for my desire never to meet you 
 again. In the first place, ever since our meeting 
 yesterday, I have tried to picture you as the total 
 stranger which you in reality are to me ; but, 
 alas ! you seemed like an old friend ! — like one 
 whom I had always known, then again, intuition 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 37 
 
 tells me, that you also felt yourself drawn towards 
 me ; pray do not take the last expressed thought 
 for personal conceit, I had read of such feelings, 
 but did not believe in them — did not believe, at 
 least, until I met you — and yet, I have met many 
 persons, and seen something more, much more, 
 than falls to the lot of women of my age ! Believe 
 me, indeed, my eye has hitherto been undazzled, 
 and my heart untouched. My dear Count, I speak 
 plainly, because I think plainly, and I feel some- 
 how, that you would wish me to speak plainly. I 
 cannot think that our meeting was entirely due 
 to chance, but meant by fate, to juggle with the 
 feelings of two beings, whose destinies, lie far 
 asunder ! I have determined to leave London this 
 very day, so that we may never, never meet again. 
 With best wishes for your everlasting happiness, 
 I remain, 
 
 Tours sincerely, 
 
 After having several times roread the letter 
 which his trembling hand still held, after having 
 several times drank in, wholly absorbed, each 
 word, each thought as it were, Count Varicoff 
 sank down upon a couch. Something within him 
 had snapped — a feeling of awful woe pervaded 
 him, and for the first time, since he had grown to 
 manhood, he wept bitter tears; then he sat motion- 
 less for a long time, dazed; he felt a terrible blank, 
 like that which meets the deep thinker, when he 
 vainly tries to pierce into the hidden and unknown. 
 
38 GELTA : OR, 
 
 Baffled sympathy was the cause of the Count's 
 gloom. It is the secret spring of most melan- 
 cholies. He loved, and loved in vain ! The con- 
 vection, that his passion, though hopeless, was 
 not looked upon with disfavor, only made him the 
 more wretched, for the disappointment is more 
 acute, in proportion, as the chance is better. 
 
 Two days later after having remained in his 
 rooms plunged in the deepest melancholy, he went 
 forth to visit the museum, once more before his 
 departure for home, to linger near the place where 
 he had first beheld her; and as he found himself 
 once more seated on the same bench, he heard an 
 inward voice whisper, that they would meet again. 
 "But how ? " he queried mentally, " I do not even 
 know her name, or to what country she has gone to. 
 No," he ejaculated, "there is no hope, — but, 
 oh ! how cruel of her," he mused, " not to tell me 
 her name, the thought of not even knowing 
 the name of the one woman who has entered 
 my heart, is beyond endurance," and so he 
 sat there for hours with staring eyes, lost in 
 reverie. 
 
 The guard between the two coffins at the 
 further end of the room, smilingly watched him ; 
 for he divined that it was not the curios which 
 surrounded him that had interest, for this melan- 
 choly visitor ! " Oh, no," he mentally concluded 
 in cockney refrain, " they all get hit that way ! 
 Oh ! them women ! " 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATBIOE. 39 
 
 CHAPTER Y. 
 
 Gelta was preparing to return to Paris a few 
 days later, and determined to re-visit the different 
 buildings of interest in London before her de- 
 parture. 
 
 Time passes with rapid flight during the first 
 period of sojourn in a new place, among new 
 characters, and new manners. Every person, 
 every incident, every feeling, touches and stirs the 
 imagination. The restless mind creates and ob- 
 serves at the same time. Gelta found this during 
 the first days of her new residence in London. 
 Although she had passed several months of sight- 
 seeing in London while yet a child with her 
 mother, still in re-visiting those same places of 
 interest, she viewed them all in a new light. 
 After devoting the first few weeks since her arrival 
 in London to the business part connected with 
 her concerts, she gave herself up wholly to visit- 
 ing the different places of interest. 
 
 Next to the British Museum, was the National 
 Gallery, in which she admired, with something of 
 awe, the glorious paintings of the great masters. 
 One moment she would drink in the beauties of 
 Raphael's Madonna, next she would feast her 
 eyes on a glorious Holbein, then she would gaze 
 in mute admiration on a Rubens, with its volupt- 
 ous women and athletic men, through whose 
 
40 gelta: ob, 
 
 veins seemed to course the glow of life, and then 
 again on Sir Joshua [Reynolds' Cherubs, whose 
 limpid eyes reflected the calm peace of Heaven. 
 And so, for hours she would linger, and lose her- 
 self, amid the beautiful creations of genius, which 
 had passed through the earth, only to deposit the 
 child of its mind, for the elevation of posterity. 
 Gelta also experienced great pleasure in roaming 
 about Westminster Abbey, and St. Paul's Cathe- 
 dral. There, amid the graves, and effiges of de- 
 parted greatness, how transient seemed humanity, 
 with its hates, its vanities, its worldy ambitions, 
 its futile struggle for brief authority and accu- 
 mulation of wealth ; and what in the end did it 
 all amount to? Thus moralizing she would wait 
 for the afternoon service, and listen to the 
 music which flooded the Cathedral from the grand 
 organ, until she felt her soul swimming in a per- 
 fect elysium of harmony and light, which was 
 pouring in upon her, from another, an everlasting, 
 a peaceful happy world. Then she would return 
 to her hotel, soothed with the reflection, that 
 humanity will not always suffer. 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRIOE. 41 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Whitechapel abounds in a maze of lanes and 
 alleys and a hasty glance while passing through 
 these parts and Petticoat Lane at once reveals to 
 the casual pedestrian the condition of the un- 
 happy beings immured in those dreadful lodgings, 
 of the throng of wretched creatures pent up with- 
 in its foul reeking squalid lairs, of large families 
 living in the back of a damp basement while the 
 front part is utilized for a shop such as a but- 
 chers or green-grocers or a cook-shop where fish 
 is constantly fried from early morning until late 
 at night, and sold to the poor who can afford a 
 penny-worth or two of this delicacy to accompany 
 their daily meal, consisting perhaps merely of 
 coarse rye bread, and black turnip-like radishes. 
 
 It was Friday morning, a cold withering wind 
 blew ; the narrow street on both sides had been 
 blocked since an early hour with street barrows, 
 whose vendors were displaying their wares. 
 Some displayed potatoes and black radishes, 
 others dried cake and broken biscuits by the 
 pound, some were piled up with all sorts of bits 
 of moat, no doubt intended for soups and stews ; 
 others again displayed a quantity of short rem- 
 nants of ribbons and laces, a few were filled with 
 'small fish heaped up in little piles sold at so much 
 a mess j one devoted to poultry was presided over 
 
42 gelta: or, 
 
 by an old Russian woman, who was selling three- 
 year-old, for spring chickens, and who kept offer- 
 ing her soul as a wager, that her fowls were as 
 tender as butter. 
 
 In the narrow space intended as the road was a 
 crowd of Jewish women, coming and going, some 
 with clean faces and smoothly brushed hair, but 
 the majority of them looking as if water had not 
 touched their faces for a month. They were all 
 walking along, swinging their empty baskets in 
 their right hand, most of them having an infant 
 in their left arm, and perhaps several older ones 
 tucking away at their skirts, they all seemed to 
 walk with their heads unconsciously thrown back, 
 in an attitude of pride and hauteur. One would 
 hardly imagine they had come to provide food for 
 a very large family for several days with only a 
 few shillings to face the outlays, which perforce 
 compelled them to stand about and barter, and 
 bargain, for a penny or two, or to walk a con- 
 siderable distance through the different lanes and 
 alleys, in search of the required article, and there- 
 by save a halfpenny. Rather might one infer, 
 from their martial bearing, that they were going 
 to deliver Jerusalem, and proclaim themselves its 
 conquerors. 
 
 Gelta had determined not to leave London 
 without again visiting the East End where all 
 the poor helpless Russian Jews congregated 
 although she felt that pecuniarily she could offer 
 them little or nothing ; for her mother before her 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATBICE. 43 
 
 death had arranged that Gelta should touch only 
 a very small sum of her income until she had 
 reached her thirtieth year, though this with the 
 handsome salary she earned amply sufficed for 
 her current expenses. The mother knew her 
 daughter's generous weakness for giving to those 
 in distress, without considering whether she was 
 depriving herself or not. But Gelta felt that if 
 she could only give them her heart's sympathy, 
 even that was better than nothing, so she went. 
 She chose a Friday morning, to see those sorely 
 tried women do their Shabbas marketing. 
 
 It was about half past eleven, when Gelta found 
 herself hemmed in, in the centre of Petticoat Lane 
 by a crowd of these poor Russian Jews. As most 
 of them spoke a debased sort of German she could 
 easily understand all they said. She had been 
 walking about there for over an hour ; the dread- 
 ful odors emanating from the meats, fish, decayed 
 vegetables, and the awful drains of the locality, 
 had made a nauseating sickness come over her, and 
 she laughed at herself, as she mentally thought 
 that though she had crossed the Adriatic, and the 
 Mediterranean Seas and the Atlantic Ocean, 
 several times, she had never felt so sick until this 
 morning after her arrival at "Whitechapel. Then 
 she mentally asked herself how these poor people 
 who lived there all the time could endure it, 
 especially as she observed that the majority of the 
 children and young girls were in robust health, 
 and notwithstanding their squalid surroundings 
 
44 gelta: or, 
 
 and dirty and neglected appearance, were beauti- 
 ful to behold. Of one thing Gelta felt in- 
 stinctively convinced, that they were independent 
 of their surroundings, and could be lifted out of 
 them as it were. All the sordid littleness of their 
 low-born lives would drop from them, like a cloak, 
 without leaving even their memory to drag them 
 down, from the new sphere, in which they might 
 bo placed. It is that touch of race, that gleam of 
 the Orient, that potential refinement, as impossi- 
 ble to describe, as it is to deny, which distin- 
 guishes the Jewish race, all the world over, and 
 surrounds the lowest, and most uneducated, with 
 a glamor of romance. 
 
 At one corner of the lane leaning over a barrow, 
 stood what might have been a Kabbi ; he peddled 
 fish — cod, halibut, white - fish and smelts ; all 
 frozen stiff. His high forehead, his wise wrinkled 
 face and his long, grey beard gave him a patri- 
 archal air. There was a patriarchal air about 
 the fish too. 
 
 The good wife, whose eyes peered out of a mass 
 of pink and white woolen wrappings, stood purse 
 in hand and basket open, watching him weigh a 
 fish. 
 
 " Three pounds," he said, in the jargon, " that'll 
 be one and three-pence." 
 
 Without a smile or a frown, without a twinkle 
 or a tremor, she drew from her purse a six-pence 
 and held it up to his eyes. Panic was written on 
 his face. 
 
THE CZAB AND THE CANTATRICE. 45 
 
 " My dear woman, my dear, dear, dear, woman, 
 how can I? "Would you have my wife starve and 
 my young ones go hungry? Starvation — there, 
 take the fish. It's yours, one and two-pence.' 
 
 She shook her head, closed the basket, pocketed 
 the purse and turned away — one step. 
 
 "I'll give seven-pence, not a penny more. In 
 Whitechapel they only charge " — 
 
 " God has abandoned me." Ruin was depicted 
 upon his countenance — hopeless, starving, suffer- 
 ing, ruin. " The fish is yours, one and a penny 
 and may Jehovah take pity on my wife and chil- 
 dren." * 
 
 She picked up the fish, pinched it, rubbed it, 
 sniffed at it, and laid it upon the scale again. 
 Then she opened her basket, drew out her purse 
 and counted into the palm of her hand seven- 
 pence half-penny. These without a word, she held 
 out to him. 
 
 " Seven-pence half-penny," he shrieked, " Would 
 you ruin me ? I swear that it cost me a shil- 
 ling." 
 
 With a snap the purse closed; the lid of the 
 basket was jammed tight, and she walked off. He 
 seized the fish by the tail and followed her. For 
 nearly half a block he pushed, struggled, elbowed 
 and zig-zagged through the throngs of marketers, 
 keeping his patriarchal eyes upon her. She spied 
 another fish-stand ; he also spied it, and, what was 
 more, spied that she had spied it. In a twinkling 
 he was beside her, the basket cover was flung 
 
46 gelta: or, 
 
 open, the fish was dropped unceremoniously in- 
 side and — 
 
 " Seven-pence half-penny, but God help my wife 
 and children." 
 
 It was almost noon yet the lanes seemed as 
 densely crowded with these women as ever. Some 
 of the women had completed their marketing, and 
 were returning home with their heavy loads, 
 others had just arrived and were disappointed at 
 the different remnants of inferior wares which 
 the street barrows displayed. Those poor women 
 who could not afford a mess of six-penny fish, went 
 into some of the shops, and bought for two-pence 
 a dozen herrings ; which were kept in large kegs 
 of brine ; these with a few potatoes served as their 
 daily meals. Yet they all seemed cheerful and 
 chatty, during these marketing expeditions, for 
 they met their friends and neighbors, and ex^ 
 changed the week's budget of gossip ; and also ex- 
 tended and accepted the invitations to visit each 
 other on the morrow, which was their Sabbath. 
 Gelta overheard all they spoke of, as she quietly 
 every now and then, moved on after having paused 
 to observe some of the curb-stone merchants' 
 methods of attracting customers, or to gaze pity- 
 ingly on some poor peddler, and slip a shilling into 
 his hand, while he stared at her with a blank grati- 
 tude. She had now stopped near the poultry 
 woman, who had a few fowls left, and in order to 
 dispose of them was still offering up her soul as a 
 wager that they were as tender as butter. After 
 
THE CZAR AND THE OANTATRIOE. 47 
 
 having watched and listened some little time, Gelta 
 spoke to the woman in German, asking her why 
 she offered that convenient chattel her soul ? to 
 which the old woman confidingly replied, after hav- 
 icg thoroughly scrutinized her, and justly conclud- 
 ed that Gelta would never be one of her customers, 
 that " she usually offered her soul, because if she 
 lost it, it would not be tangible." Gelta smiled 
 at the old woman's cupidity and wit and walked 
 on ! As she was sauntering along looking at the 
 wares in the small dingy shops ; and watching the 
 animated scene surrounded by so much filth, rub- 
 bish, and sordid talk, she thought how no one 
 but an Israelite, could understand, what an inner, a 
 nobler life those same people led, during their 
 many holidays, and the Sabbath. Upon those 
 days, they became refined, and more subdued in 
 their manners and speech. 
 
 To see these same grasping avaricious mer- 
 chants, and those howling, bargaining buyers, 
 whilst their traffic was going on, hurling all sorts 
 of epithets at each other in order to gain their 
 ends ; and then to see these self- same people in 
 Schule (Synagogue) or while visiting each other ; 
 with that quiet almost dignified bearing, discuss- 
 ing the Jewish situation of the nineteenth cen- 
 tury, and showering innumerable blessings upon 
 the head of the truly noble and generous Israel- 
 ites, who made such strenuous efforts to ameliorate 
 the present conditions of the poor persecuted 
 Jews ; and to notice how each of these families 
 
48 gelta: or, 
 
 always Had at their table a few guests, who could 
 not even afford to pay for a solid meal, was to 
 store up materials for grave reflection. 
 
 It was the poor feeding the poor. And at such 
 times their squalid surroundings seemed to take 
 on a sort of halo for peace and rest, reigned every- 
 where, during those strictly kept holidays. 
 
 Whilst Gelta was mentally seeing their holiday 
 home life, and comparing it with their daily 
 struggle, she noticed sitting with bowed head at 
 one corner of a maze of lanes, an old venerable- 
 looking man, who had a lot of religious mo- 
 mentoes for sale, such as Mezizas (door post 
 charms), Tephillin (phylacteries), Tzitzes (fringes, 
 little prayer-books, etc.) 
 
 This old Hebrew, in his well-worn satin kaftan, 
 was a striking and even imposing figure, though 
 of medium height. He had that bearing of dig- 
 nity, which made him look taller than he really 
 was. He had a wonderful white beard, a massive 
 forehead and a pair of very vivid black eyes ; his 
 face, on the whole, denoted nobility of character, 
 coupled with a sad uncomplaining expression, 
 that was really touching to behold. He was sit- 
 ting with bowed head, a far-away dreamy look in 
 his eyes ; when a couple of common-looking girls 
 who seemed to be returning to their work, 
 emerged from one of the dark alleys into the lane, 
 and caught sight of the old Jew; they at once 
 began hurling all sorts of epithets at him, accom- 
 panied by pantomimic gestures in derision of his 
 
' 1 HE CZAR AND THE CANTATBICE. 49 
 
 race. Gelta watched their savage antics ; with 
 compassionate pity for their ignorant conduct, 
 and as she looked at the patriarchal face of the 
 old man upon which was depicted sad resignation 
 she thought of those beautiful lines of Lowell's : 
 
 *' One faith against the whole earth's unbelief, 
 One soul against the flesh of all mankind." 
 
 She went up and priced some of his different 
 articles and engaged in a prolonged conversation, 
 chatting all the while so as to induce him to 
 speak of himself and his past. She eventually 
 persuaded him into a confiding humor, and he 
 told her he had been a Eabbi for thirty years in 
 one of the small Russian provinces, and that he 
 had been compelled to contribute for years a cer- 
 tain amount of money to the master of police, 
 and other government officials, in order that he 
 and his community should be allowed to exist in 
 peace in their little town. 
 
 "Why did you not make a complaint to the 
 Czar?" Gelta asked. 
 
 The poor man shook his head sadly as he re- 
 plied to her naive question. " Russia is not like 
 this grand free country where the poorest, the 
 humblest individual can have his wrongs brought 
 to the notice of those, who love truth and justice, 
 by simply acquainting any of the daily papers 
 with his sufferings. There is no press there, ex- 
 cept that presided over by the government 
 Censor, who allows to appear in print only the 
 dictations of the grasping officials. It would be 
 
50 gelta: ob, 
 
 useless to complain. It would also be useless to 
 write to the Czar acquainting him with the tyrany 
 exercised over his subjects by those whom he has 
 invested with a little brief authority ; for the 
 complaint would have to pass through the hands 
 of the master of police, and the very officers who 
 with all sorts of threats of the knout and Siberia 
 made us deliver over to them the little money 
 which we very often required for the necessaries 
 of life, until within the last few years we had not 
 even that ; whereupon they became so angered 
 that others and myself had to make our escape on 
 foot for a considerable distance in order to avoid 
 
 their fury. When we came to the town of Od 
 
 we heard that the great nobleman, the Baron de 
 Hirsch (may he be forever blessed. Amen.) 
 And then the old Hebrew bowed his head for a 
 moment as if invoking a silent prayer, upon his 
 generous deliverer, whilst Gelta echoed mentally 
 his Amen ! He continued : 
 
 " The good jBaron de Hirsch haa agents there 
 to provide us with a little money and transporta- 
 tion to this good country, ana another great land 
 beyond the seas." 
 
 " Ycu mean America," Gelta interposed. 
 
 "Yes, that's it," he answered, "but I am 
 seventy-eight years old, and as I have not long to 
 remain on this globe of weary wanderings, I did 
 not wish to travel so far, for I want to be as near 
 to Palestine as possible before I die, and here I 
 am." 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATEICE. 51 
 
 Gelta was deeply touched at the heart's desire 
 of this poor lonely son of Israel. 
 
 After a few moments had elapsed during which 
 Gelta was examining various articles on his bar- 
 row, in order to hide her emotion, she resumed— 
 "Educated as you are in Hebrew, do you not 
 often feel sick at heart at the degradation, of 
 having in your old age to sit amid this foul atmos- 
 phere, and humbly submit to the insults, of such 
 ignorant creatures, as those who only a few 
 moments ago, singled you out as the butt for 
 their jests ? " 
 
 "My dear child," he interposed, "the petty 
 troubles of life are like the tickings of a clock, 
 unheard, when unheeded, but when heeded, beat- 
 ing like a sledge hammer upon the brain." 
 
 " Yes," she quickly added, " it is all very well if 
 we can shut out the ticking of the clock, but one 
 has not always the power to do so, and to a 
 sensitive nature like yours, to be placed con- 
 stantly amid misery and want must surely be a 
 humiliation." 
 
 "No," he majestically answered witn a resigned 
 demeanour and quoted a few stanzas in Hebrew 
 which ran thus : 
 
 M Why should I blush that Fortune's frown, 
 Dooms me life's humble path to tread, 
 To live unheeded and unknown, 
 To sink forgotten with the dead? 
 Tis not the good, the wise, the brave, 
 That surest shine, or highest rise, 
 The feather sports upon the wave, 
 The pearl in ocean's cavern lies." 
 
52 GELTA : OK, 
 
 Gelta with suppressed emotion gazed at this 
 noble old man, whose life had known so little 
 sunshine, yet who accepted all the ills of fate with 
 so much calmness and uncomplaining resignation ; 
 she felt too much moved to listen longer to his 
 noble thoughts, environed by such squallor ; she 
 selected several small articles of the value of a 
 couple of shillings and tendered him a sovereign 
 requesting him at the same time to keep the 
 change. He hesitated, and then refused ; unless 
 she took goods to the full amount, but Gelta in- 
 sisted, and at last he consented to do so on condi- 
 tion that he should give part of it to several of his 
 friends, who had more to provide for, and less 
 opportunity of gaining their living. 
 
 Gelta told him to do what he though;: best, and 
 departed while he kept murmuring blessings after 
 her. 
 
 It was now one o'clock and as Gelta had spent 
 several hours in those dreadful lanes, she felt 
 quite sick from their nauseating odors, and de- 
 termined to make her escape at once ; she cut 
 through several little cross streets in order to 
 reach Bishopsgate street sooner, when she stopped 
 for a moment attracted by the cries of a little boy, 
 about six years of age, very thinly clad, who was 
 sitting in front of a very dilapidated and tumbled 
 down looking wooden house ; on the opposite side. 
 As this part seemed to be deserted at the time, 
 she crossed to enquire what ailed him, since with 
 big drowning tears rolling down his cheeks he 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 53 
 
 whined " Wai ! wai ! " After a few moment's coax- 
 ing as to the cause of his grief he mumbled in 
 lachrymose tones " hineric " (hungry). Gelta asked 
 him why he did not go home, and get something 
 to eat, in answer to which he pointed into the 
 dingy cellar which Gelta had not noticed was in- 
 habited, saying " mitter hat kein brot " (Mother has 
 no bread). 
 
 Gelta' s eyes followed the direction indicated, 
 meditating whether to give him a few coppers to 
 buy some bread, and then hasten away to get 
 some fresh air, or to investigate and see whether 
 his cries were genuine. A moment's pause, and 
 her decision was made. She decended the eight 
 or ten rotting stairs and stood on the threshold 
 looking into a dark room about ten feet by twelve, 
 which seemed to be the living and sleeping room , 
 for at the further end was a bed unmade right 
 over which on the once whitewashed wall, nof* 
 rendered a dingy grey through humidity anddirt 4 
 hung a cheap print of Sir Moses Montefiore ; 
 opposite the bed stood a wooden cupboard upon 
 whose upper shelves were a few plates, cups and 
 saucers ; the lower part was screened off by the 
 tattered remains of a checkered curtain, between 
 the bed and the cupboard there was a rusty un- 
 fixed grate, which held a handful of cinders that 
 had been struggling in that cheerless room for 
 existence, but had finally succumbed, and now lay 
 dead on its bosom ; a wooden table to the left of 
 the cupboard leaning painfully against the wall 
 
64 gelta: or, 
 
 upon its three legs, the fourth was missing ; a 
 couple of wooden chairs and several empty soap 
 boxes seemed to complete the furnishing of this 
 dreadful abode. Gelta had opened the half glass 
 door which served both as the window and door 
 of the place, she stood on the threshold for some 
 moments peering into the room, a ray of sickly 
 light seemed struggling for existence there, and 
 lingered upon a woman of about forty years of 
 age, who sat upon a wooden box with bowed head 
 and stockinged feet, a baby of several months old 
 was in her arms and tugging away with its mouth 
 at her breast, which seemed withered like a 
 woman's of eighty years old ; every now and then 
 the child would take a tug or two at the breast, 
 and then would whine, as if not getting the re- 
 quired nourishment ; the woman never moved as 
 she sat bowed in her grief, she looked the image 
 of the despairing " Niobe." Gelta spoke several 
 times, but the woman never stirred, until two little 
 dark curly heads peeped out from underneath the 
 feather bed, where they had lain no doubt to 
 keep warm. 
 
 On perceiving the strange lady, the elder, a 
 little girl of about three years of age, called her 
 parent's attention to the stranger, the wretched 
 woman was recalled from her reverie to the 
 urgent misery that surrounded her. She lifted 
 up her pale grief-stricken face, which told its own 
 tale, and looked towards the door. 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 55 
 
 Gelta addressed her for the third time telling 
 her the little boy was hungry, and crying. 
 
 " What can I do ? " the woman moaned, help- 
 lessly, " I have no money or bread, and yesterday 
 my poor dead husband was carried out of here. 
 You see I am sitting ' Shiva ' " (a form of Jewish 
 mourning, which the nearest relatives observe, by 
 never leaving their sleeping room for a period of 
 eight days and in their stocking feet sitting about 
 and taking their food upon a low stool or wooden 
 box, and praying frequently for the soul of the 
 dead.) 
 
 " Does no one know of your urgent distress ? " 
 Gelta asked, anxiously. 
 
 " Eh, yes, " the poor woman replied, " our Eabbi 
 has notified the charity committee, they said they 
 would be round as soon as possible to assist us, 
 of course they have already helped me somewhat, 
 but all went in nursing my poor husband. " And 
 here the wretched woman wept bitterly, as she 
 continued through her sobs, "he lingered for 
 three months in this bed, and we were so hopeful 
 of saving him. " 
 
 " No wonder he died, " Gelta thought, as she 
 sadly looked about her. The poor woman went 
 on with her story, " my husband was a tailor and 
 worked very hard to keep us all, and we were so 
 contented to wait, and hope for better times, 
 when my poor Isaac fell sick five months ago, and 
 the doctor said it was consumption, and that he 
 must have rest, and good nourishment, so I made 
 
56 gelta: ob, 
 
 him stay at home ; and I went out and helped in 
 the families, with their washing and scrubbing, 
 and with what I earned, and with what the 
 different ladies gave me, we were able to get 
 along ; and I was hoping that my good Isaac 
 would soon get well, when he got pneumonia two 
 weeks ago and he never lived through it. " 
 
 Gelta listened and the poor woman continued. 
 " My neighbors, God bless them, have been very 
 kind to me but they all have such a hard time to 
 get along themselves, one poor old lady brought 
 in this morning a pot of tea and half a loaf of 
 bread, I did not touch it, but gave it to the chil- 
 dren and they ate every bit, and still cried for 
 more, I don't know what ails them," she wailed 
 with irritation in her voice, " they never seem to 
 get enough." 
 
 " No wonder, " Gelta thought when so little is 
 offered the poor starved mites. 
 
 " I shiver very much," continued the woman. 
 " It's a cold day. Pray shut the door." Gelta 
 had left the door open to give some ventilation to 
 the place. 
 
 "You are ill, " Gelta said, moving to the side of 
 the woman. " Give me your hand, " she added in 
 a soft sweet tone, " 'Tis hot ! " 
 
 " I feel very cold," replied the woman. 
 
 "Because you have no fire," Gelta answered 
 " but we will soon remedy that," and taking the 
 little boy by the hand, she asked, " what is your 
 name dear?" 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 57 
 
 "Moscher Silberwasser," he answered. 
 
 "Moscher," she smilingly repeated, "well he 
 was a great general who guided the Jews from 
 Egypt, for over forty long years, over mountain 
 tops, and deserts, until he led them safely into the 
 land of plenty, so you, like your name-sake must 
 guide me to the shops where we will buy for 
 mamma a lot of nice things to eat and drink ; and 
 taking Moscher by the hand and telling Mrs. 
 Silberwasser that she would soon return she de- 
 parted on her errand of mercy. 
 
 The first thing Gelta did was to order a couple 
 of sacks of coal to be delivered immediately ; she 
 bought a kettle at the next door shop and handed 
 it to the man that was to deliver the coal with the 
 instruction that he should light the fire and put 
 the kettle with the water on to boil and that if he 
 would do so quickly, upon her return she would 
 give him a couple of shillings for himself. He 
 willingly consented, and then Gelta cut through 
 Bishopsgate street and entered a large grocer's. 
 Meanwhile Moscher was busily engaged in alter- 
 nately munching a large sugared bun, and an 
 apple, and casting grateful looks at his benefac- 
 tress. After having expended a couple of pounds, 
 for groceries, not omitting certain delicacies such 
 as jams, biscuits, a couple of bottles of good wine 
 and a bottle of the best brandy, she gave orders 
 that they should be immediatly delivered, and 
 then departed. When they reached Mrs. Silber- 
 wasser' s abode, Moscher was helping to carry a 
 
58 gelta: or, 
 
 large parcel containing a little sailor suit for him- 
 self, together with a dozen pairs of warm stock- 
 ings of different sizes, a pair of shoes and some 
 warm underwear for his mother, and sisters. 
 
 "When Gelta entered the place again a cheerful 
 fire was blazing away, and the table was groaning 
 beneath the weight of groceries which had been 
 delivered. The charcoal man stood gazing in lost 
 amazement ; at the wine and delicacies displayed ; 
 and was speculating whether Gelta belonged to 
 the great family of Rothschild the bankers. She 
 soon interrupted his meditations by sending him 
 to a Jewish restaurant to get a couple of roast 
 fowls, then Gelta made Mrs. Silberwasser partake 
 of a large cup of hot punch and some biscuits, 
 to counteract the chill. 
 
 "You are an angel from heaven!" exclaimed 
 the poor widow. 
 
 "No, not from heaven," Gelta replied sadly, 
 " only a poor wanderer on earth, who tries to 
 walk in the path that leads to heaven," and then 
 she busied herself stowing the different groceries, 
 etc., into the cupboard, relieving the table once 
 more of its burden. Then she brewed some 
 delicious tea. 
 
 The charcoal man soon returned with a couple 
 of nice roast fowls, he had also stopped at several 
 of the neighbors to tell them how this strange, 
 beautiful lady had suddenly dropped in to see 
 Mrs. Silberwasser, and how she scattered money 
 to right and left, which accounted for a couple of 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRIOE. 59 
 
 middle aged, and a very old woman coming to 
 call on the poor widow almost simultaneously as 
 the man entered. Gelta asked him to look in 
 during the week to see whether he could be of 
 service to the poor helpless woman, who, during 
 the allotted period of her "Shiva" could not 
 leave the room ; then she paid and dismissed 
 him. Gelta cut up a fowl and made the children 
 sit down at the table and eat to their heart's con- 
 tent, while she helped the poor mother to some, 
 and a cup of tea ; the three women stood in a 
 corner gazing at her in silent admiration to see 
 this beautiful young lady, with delicate, small 
 white hands, whose fingers were covered with 
 precious rings, cut into the coarse bread, and help 
 the children to meat and tea, as if she had been 
 used to that kind of work all her life. The cheer- 
 ful fire had lit up the dingy place, the tea was 
 drunk, the meal partaken of, an air of comfort, 
 even of enjoyment, was diffused over this chamber 
 which, but an hour back, was so desolate and un- 
 happy. Gelta in a sweet low voice asked the 
 women to leave her with Mrs. Silberwasser alone 
 for a few moments, they at once retired to the 
 street. Then she turned to the widow with 
 cheering words, reminding her that God forsakes 
 no one who lifts a sorrowing heart to Him, and 
 she gave the sorrowing woman three pounds in 
 gold wrapped up in one of her dainty little hand- 
 kerchiefs, advising her to hide it, and not to let 
 her neighbors know of the money, then she kissed 
 
60 gelta: or, 
 
 and received kisses from the laughing little ones, 
 and pressing the widow's hand, which was not 
 released from the poor woman's grasp until it 
 had received a grateful kiss accompanied by many 
 tears she departed. 
 
 Gelta soon found herself outside, and after say- 
 ing a few kind words to the group of women whom 
 she had but a few moments before asked to leave 
 the room, she placed half a sovereign in the old 
 woman's hand and enjoined her not to neglect the 
 lonely widow and orphans ; then she hurried 
 away while the women gazed after her retreating 
 form murmuring all sorts of blessings. 
 
 Gelta had been walking for several minutes, 
 turning in and out of some of the little courts, 
 when she became aware of the presence of a little 
 form, that had been silently following her ; she 
 stopped short, for it waa little Moscher Silber- 
 wasser. 
 
 ""What are you doing here?" Gelta asked 
 quickly. 
 
 He blushed and became confused, fearing that 
 he had angered her, but the kindness of her voice 
 as she softly asked him again, what he wanted, 
 gave him courage to speak, for he managed to say 
 (t Mutter said I should run after and kiss you ! " 
 
 " And you ? " she queried, as she bent down not 
 unmoved to caress his pretty curls ; " and you, 
 Moscher," she repeated, "do you care to kiss 
 me?" 
 
 Without replying he threw his dirty little 
 
THE CZAR AND THE OANTATRICE. 61 
 
 arms around her neck and imprinted several 
 pretty little kisses upon her cheek, which she so 
 invitingly held out to him. 
 
 After pressing him affectionately to her bosom, 
 she gave him several pennies, and made him 
 promise that he would return home to his mamma 
 immediately, and be a very good boy, and so they 
 parted, Gelta looking after him to see that he 
 took the right direction. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 "My dear Senator! said Count Boroffsky to 
 Senator Stencer the morning after the third ap- 
 pearance, of Gelta Dechon at the Opera Comique. 
 " What a superb type of ideal womanhood this 
 American girl of yours is ! Ah ! you ought to 
 feel proud of her ?" 
 
 The two men were breakfasting in the Count's 
 pretty pavilion. 
 
 " So I do ! so does every true-born American, 
 of their little compatriot, who in a foreign land, 
 in the very kingdom of Art, is one of the very few 
 whose talents everyone is eager to acknowledge. 
 What a magnetic being she must be to be able to 
 chain a Parisian public to her chariot. Ah ! if I 
 could persuade her to join our cause ! " 
 
 "Just so, I sent you a note, this morning, only 
 because I wished to see you most particularly be- 
 fore you went to the American Legation, Affairs," 
 
62 gelta: or, 
 
 continued Count Boroffsky, first looking cautiously 
 around the room to see whether there were any 
 listeners to his state secret, "Affairs are critical ! " 
 
 " What ! have we been betrayed ? " 
 
 Boroffsky slowly shook his head. " No, not 
 betrayed," he said, "but a hasty move on our 
 chess board has for the moment stopped our plan. 
 General G is dying." 
 
 Senator Stencer leaned back in his chair and 
 delivered himself of an ejaculation. 
 
 " He may live a month," said the Count, " he 
 cannot live two! It is the greatest of secrets; 
 known at this moment only to the heads of the 
 Imperial family, and myself ; and I communicate 
 it to you my dear Senator, in that absolute con- 
 fidence, which I fervently hope there will always 
 be between us, because it is an event, that may 
 greatly affect your career." 
 
 " How so, dear Count ? " 
 
 " I have arranged, that, on your wife's account, 
 you must remain for the present neutral, to our 
 cause, and take no part at any rate for a time, in 
 our actions. In the circumstances which we must 
 now encounter the struggle will be fraught with 
 greater dangers, and be more severe than at any 
 previous period, therefore in anticipation of my 
 death, I cannot allow the natural protector of my 
 sister, to take risks which might leave her alone 
 in the world and unprotected ! ' 
 
 Senator Stencer silently acquiesced and the 
 Count continued. 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRIOE. 63 
 
 " It is absolutely necessary for a follower of our 
 cause to enter Eussia, to restore our broken 
 communications, and arrange a new cypher! 
 There is only one being to-day, who could cross 
 the Kussian frontier, journey to St. Petersburg, 
 and move in the highest society, without creating 
 the slighest suspicion, and that one, is, a most 
 gifted woman, the beautiful Gelta Dechon ! " 
 
 "Dechon! you must find some other means to 
 carry out your plans, I fear ; my dear Count, have 
 I not for the last six months made every effort, to 
 induce her to join us, but without the slightest 
 success?'* 
 
 "But, my dear Senator, we must not relinquish 
 the hope of winning this gifted girl; why, she 
 would be simply invaluable to us, her magnetism 
 would overpower the severest of diplomats, and 
 make him pour out all his State secrets to her. 
 Oh yes ! she must be won over, for she would be- 
 come a very valuable instrument to our noble 
 cause;" ne added almost with irritation, "and why 
 should she not join us? is she not a Jewess, and 
 possessed of all the Jewish sympathies and warm 
 heartedness, and is she not keenly alive to all the 
 oppression and cruelty, heaped upon her race in 
 the accursed domain of Eussia 9 " 
 
 "Why yes, Count, she has often told me that 
 her heart and sympathies are undeniably with her 
 oppressed people, but at present she cannot dis- 
 cern a remedy which would check Eussian tyr- 
 anny, and only sees that all attempts to do so, are 
 
64 gelta: ob, 
 
 futile, but stay! I have an idea. "Why not try 
 your marvelous hypnotic powers upon her; you 
 know that I have always placed implicit faith in 
 them; and you say yourself that you have the 
 most absolute control over your subjects, I feel 
 convinced that if you really endeavor to subdue 
 this girl's will to yours, you will succeed, and by 
 so doing, accomplish a great triumph for our 
 sacred cause." 
 
 "True, of late I have given the matter serious 
 thought, but her indomitable will renders my 
 effort powerless, she does not believe in hypnotic 
 influences and only laughs at my theories. How- 
 ever, I will not relinquish my efforts, the game is 
 well worth the candle, and if we could only per- 
 suade her that our cause is not hopeless, I am sure 
 she would render us immense services. She ex- 
 pects me to lunch with her to-day and you, my 
 dear Senator, can afterwards bring her tidings of 
 how proud the entire American colony is of her 
 last night's triumph." 
 
 "Precisely," said Senator Stencer, rising and 
 consulting his watch, " but I have an appointment 
 with the American Minister concerning that 
 Silver bill at eleven o'clock, and I must be off, as 
 I have only a quarter of an hour in which to get 
 there. However, I will not fail to call on Miss 
 Dechon this afternoon." 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRIOE. 65 
 
 CHAPTEE VIIL 
 
 Ivan Boroffsky, the father of the present 
 Count had been appointed Attorney General to 
 
 the town of O , one of the largest centres of 
 
 Southern Kussia, about the year 1840. He had 
 been a widower several years, and had never been 
 blessed with any children. He was no longer in 
 his first youth, but it was easy to see that he had 
 been a very handsome man with an elegant figure. 
 He had always been a great favorite with ladies, 
 and had largely availed himself of this advan- 
 tage. He had the reputation of being an un- 
 commonly clever man, quite above the usual 
 average. There was something enigmatical in 
 the turn of his mind, in his way of talking, and 
 in his intercourse with others. Many people 
 deemed that he never said what he thought, and 
 often fancied they discovered a covert meaning in 
 his words. But in spite of all this, he could not 
 be called a reserved man, on the contrary, like 
 most eloquent people, he took an easy and brilliant 
 part in conversation, and never affected that 
 studied coldness, with which mediocrity often 
 cover its defects. Every conversation with him 
 left a deep impression on the mind of his inter- 
 locutors, which it was not easy to get rid of. 
 Such was Ivan Boroffsky when fate first brought 
 him to the town of , and there took him to 
 
66 gelta: or, 
 
 a ball at the Governor's house, where he saw the 
 only child and heiress of a wealthy Jewish mer- 
 chant, the pretty Anna Cohen, who, notwith- 
 standing the difference of religion quickly lost 
 her heart to him, he likewise and for the first 
 time during his varied amours experienced the 
 real warmth of love. Notwithstanding the im- 
 mense obstacles on both sides to be conquered, 
 he at once set about with determination to 
 make her the future Countess Boroffsky. Love 
 triumphing, in due time they were married. Anna 
 Boroffsky made him the proud and happy father 
 of two pretty children, a boy and a girl. After 
 
 five years sojourn in O , Ivan Boroffsky was 
 
 summoned to St. Petersburg, where for many 
 years he held a high place in the official world, 
 receiving numerous honors and distinctions from 
 the Czar. His wife endowed with the marvellous 
 adaptability of her race, had succeeded through 
 her charming personality and diplomatic affability 
 in apparently becoming a general favorite in that 
 brilliant circle of St. Petersburg, and many an 
 unfortunate co-religionist, owed his release from 
 the tyrannical punishments, of despotic subor- 
 dinate officials to the subtle influence of this 
 noble and smypathetic woman. 
 
 Years had passed when young Boroffsky was 
 suddenly summoned by his mother, the eve be- 
 fore he was to pass his examination in surgery. 
 He arrived home only to lament the irreparable 
 loss of his father who had that morning been 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 67 
 
 struck with appoplexy. After the first outburst 
 of grief, he endeavored to render what solace he 
 could, to his bereaved mother, and sister. 
 
 Scarcely a year had passed since the death of 
 her husband when poor Anna Boroffsky began to 
 perceive the adder stings thrust at her by her 
 former friends, they could never in their hearts 
 forgive her for having been born a Jewess, had 
 she not been the recipient of their homage during 
 her husband's lifetime ! But now that he was no 
 more, this polished horde of Bussian aristocracy, 
 savagely vented its poisonous salaver over the 
 unprotected widow, whose husband had devoted 
 and often risked his life to serve faithfully his 
 master, the Czar. 
 
 This change of front on the part of Society to- 
 wards poor Anna Boroffsky and her two grown 
 children, was the climax of her misfortunes. 
 However, Madame Boroffsky decided to dispose 
 of some of her estates, in order to go to Paris 
 and live among a more sympathetic and broader 
 minded set of people, and also enable her son to 
 finish his studies there. But poor, unprotected 
 Anna was doomed never to quit St. Petersburg, 
 for when Society heard that it was about to lose 
 its prey, with the determination of a fury it set 
 all sorts of calumnious reports in vogue, until 
 one morning she was summoned by order of the 
 Czar, as being connected with a nihilistic plot to 
 assassinate the imperial family. The wretched 
 woman upon hearing the accusation, knew that 
 
68 gelta: or, 
 
 she was doomed to the most horrible, and degrad- 
 ing, of deaths. She begged leave of the officer to 
 be allowed to change her robe de chambre for a 
 walking costume, and upon being granted per- 
 mission, she retired, and with the resignation, and 
 fortitude, of her race, she hastily penned a few 
 lines of adieus to her children who were at the 
 time superintending some family matters upon 
 one of her country estates, imploring them to 
 leave Eussia as soon as they could possibly do so. 
 And having added blessings and hopes that they 
 would all meet hereafter in heaven, she entrusted 
 the note to a faithful old servant, then she entered 
 the cabinet of her beloved son, and with a fer- 
 vent prayer for her children's welfare, took a 
 powerful drug, staggered back into the reception 
 room, and fell dead at tho commissary's feet. 
 
 The officer, cursing himself for having allowed 
 his victim for a few brief minutes out of his sight, 
 and fearing that his own head would now fall if 
 the truth were known, officially declared, that as 
 soon as he had made known the object of his visit, 
 the lady fell dead at his feet, struck by heart dis- 
 ease That was why Count Boroffsky joined the 
 Nihilists. 
 
 Count Boroffsky was the chief agent in Paris 
 who helped to complete the plot of getting Czar 
 Alexander 2nd's sojourn terminated on this planet. 
 It was in his power to have stayed the dangerous 
 hand, for he was in direct correspondence with 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRIOE. 69 
 
 some of the members of the imperial household, 
 but, he asked himself, why should he stay the 
 fatal bomb? Why should anyone, who is interested 
 in the welfare, and progress of humanity, desire 
 the existence of an Alexander the Second? who 
 during his whole reign from 1855 to 1881, the 
 time of his assassination, though not such a blood- 
 thirsty and relentless torturer as his father 
 Nicholas I, still proved himself a grasping bold 
 oppressor of his helpless subjects. 
 
 Without an atom of compunction, Count 
 Boroffsky dedicated the head of Alexander the 
 2nd to his many victims. 
 
 CHAPTEK IX. 
 
 A boudoir whose walls, to the height of the 
 door, were covered with a delicate silver-blue 
 India silk, above which they were finished off 
 with a narrow frieze whose background shaded 
 from an almost yellowish tone, to a soft blue as it 
 neared the cornice. Here and there were painted 
 flights of swallows, their blue, and grey, and 
 white, plumage delicately indicated against the 
 soft tones of the sky. The ceiling of French 
 mirrors, looked like a silver lake, over which the 
 frieze with its flight of swallows seemed to float. 
 The floor was stained and had a rich colored 
 Chlidema square carpet in the centre. On one 
 side of the window to the right, was a beautiful 
 
70 gelta: or, 
 
 white writing-desk, inlaid with gold, in Byzantine 
 design, upon which were littered letters, account 
 books, writing materials, etc. Immediately above 
 it hung a life size bust in oil of a handsome 
 woman of about forty-five years. A cottage piano 
 opposite to the left was heaped with musical 
 works of the different celebrated composers, and 
 scattered about in great profusion were fresh cut 
 La France roses. Vases in every niche and cor- 
 ner of the room were filled with these beautiful 
 blushing buds. 
 
 It was the morning after her third appearance 
 in opera before a Parisian audience, that Gelta 
 Dechon, robed in a simple but lovely yellow tea 
 gown, her beautiful dark brown locks playing in 
 wild confusion about her exquisite neck, and 
 shoulders, was reading a batch of journals which 
 her faithful maid had brought her with her cafe- 
 au-lait, hurriedly perusing columns of criticism 
 expressive of the highest praise of her last night's 
 impersonation, when, glancing up, she caught the 
 old servant's look of suspense. 
 
 " Dear old Marianne," she said, " don't look so 
 serious, the papers are just lovely. Ah ! at this 
 moment I feel that I could actually o'erstep the 
 bounds of my cold nature and kiss, and hug, every 
 one of those dear critics, who spoke so kindly of 
 me." 
 
 " My dear child," answered the faithful servant, 
 " I feel sure that they have not said half of the 
 praise which you deserve." 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 71 
 
 " Oil yes, dear Marianne they have, and much 
 more, beside, one so seldom gets what one really 
 deserves, in this hurrying bustling world, and it 
 is for this reason, that I feel so grateful to God, 
 and so glad in my gratitude. Ah! Marianne," 
 she sighed, " my happiness would have been com- 
 plete, if only my darling mother had lived, to 
 share my continued triumph," and then the tears 
 welled up from both those loving hearts. 
 
 After a silent pause Gelta gently turned to her 
 faithful servant, and bade her leave her alone for 
 a while, and gave orders that she was not at 
 home, except to Count Boroffsky, whom she had 
 asked to lunch with her that day. 
 
 Marianne bowed and quietly left the room. 
 
 Finding herself alone once more, Gelta threw 
 herself into her favorite fauteuil, and sat lost for 
 a while in sweet, sad reveries, gazing at the beau- 
 tiful portrait in oil of her deceased mother, which 
 hung on the wall over her escritoire. 
 
 Surveying the placid life-like features, Gelta 
 found herself wondering, not for the first time, 
 how those artistic gifts, of which she had just 
 been reading in all the papers, had sprung out of 
 such ancestry as she knew was hers — long sober 
 generations of Rabbi's and scholars, of gentlemen 
 and women, instinct with simple piety. Perhaps 
 it was intermixture that had generated the 
 electric spark, for her mother was a Hungarian, 
 her father French, while the child herself had 
 been born in the State of Louisiana. 
 
72 gelta: or, 
 
 Mrs. Dechon being left a widow the first year 
 after her marriage. She determined after Gelta's 
 birth to reside in France, and devote herself to 
 educate her daughter, but before the latter 
 reached her twentieth year, Mrs. Dechon con- 
 tracted a cold and died within a few days. 
 
 "Dearest mother," she thought, "why should 
 I have been so severely punished, as to loose 
 that precious mother, the sole and only being on 
 whose deep, unselfish love, I could rely always, 
 why is it, that those who are good, and full of 
 reverence for all that is good, and pure, should 
 be so severely tried by Crod, severed from that 
 which is nearest and dearest, one's own mother, 
 whose hallowed love can never, never be re- 
 placed." " Yes," she ejaculated aloud as if talk- 
 ing to someone, " I am very wretched, dreadfully 
 so. What is the outward glamor, to the inward 
 numbness of heart?" 
 
 A gentle tap at the door for one brief moment 
 attracted her attention. Looking aside she saw 
 the faithful old Marianne on the threshold an- 
 nouncing Count Boroffsky. 
 
 "Bid him enter," she said, and then lapsed 
 again into her day dream. 
 
 Count Boroffsky entered the pretty boudoir 
 with the ease of an old family friend, for Gelta's 
 mother had been one of his most devoted ad- 
 mirers, and warmest sympathizers, knowing the 
 reason for his hatred, of the Bussian oppressor. 
 
 He stood silently gazing at the enchanting 
 
THE OZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 73 
 
 picture before him, of this willowy brunette^ 
 whose perfect form was draped in an amber 
 colored robe, which gave one the idea of fitting 
 like a glove, and withal, hanging so loose and 
 negligee that with the slightest movement of the 
 body, it would ripple into waves, that followed 
 the beautiful outlines of her exquisite curves. 
 He, himself, as he stood silently contemplating 
 his subject, was not less picturesque. He was 
 about forty-five years old, and combined the dark 
 eyes and the olive complexion of his mother, 
 with his father's tall athletic figure. 
 
 After a few moments silence, seeing that she 
 had not noticed his entrance, he interruped her 
 preoccupied mind with " my dear child, I am so 
 delighted to see you, and to be the first, to con- 
 gratulate you, in propria persona upon last night's 
 success. Oh, you were superb in voice, beauty 
 and—" 
 
 "There, there, Count," she said interrupting 
 him, "no flattering you know, I get so much of it 
 from the indifferent crowd, that from my few in- 
 timate friends, I must exact the pill of sincerity, 
 without the sugar coating." 
 
 "But Gelta, I protest for I am always sincere 
 with you!" 
 
 "Well, pray don't let us begin to differ before 
 luncheon for it will spoil your appetite, and you 
 must not do so before paying homage to my 
 cordon bleu's courses. But tell me, have you 
 heard lately from your dear sister?" 
 
14: gelta: or, 
 
 "Oh yes, her husband the Senator arrived by 
 an early train this morning, in time to breakfast 
 with me, he says the bracing air of Enghien has 
 improved Sacha's health wonderfully." 
 
 "I am so delighted to hear that." 
 
 " By the bye, the Senator is coming to pay his 
 homage to you after lunch." 
 
 "Ah! yes I know," she laughingly said, "an- 
 other flatterer. Tou men are all alike." 
 
 "Now Gelta you should not judge all men 
 alike." 
 
 "And why not? are you not all flatterers? and 
 do you not all attempt to make love to every 
 woman you meet?" 
 
 "By that you mean to accuse me of having tried 
 to make love to you." 
 
 "Well," she queried with an arch smile, "is it 
 not true?" 
 
 "Oh yes," he laughingly replied, and warming 
 up with true Parisian gallantry said, " who would 
 not attempt to speak of love when finding himself 
 in the presence of a superb woman with the form 
 and beauty of a Goddess, and a mind like Min- 
 erva's?" 
 
 " There, there, Count that will do." 
 
 "Who would not," he continued, interrupting 
 her, " worship at the shrine of so much purity? " 
 
 "Which you attempted to convert," she inter- 
 rupted laughingly, "to your own naughty views." 
 
 Airily as she spoke he felt the adamantine will 
 behind the light words. With a sudden spasm 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 75 
 
 of hopelessness, lie resolved to show his cards. 
 Candor might achieve, what cunning had missed. 
 
 " Forgive me," he said, " if I spoke of love to 
 you, it was the cause I had at heart." 
 
 " The cause ! The cause ? " she queried, and sat 
 back astonished in her fauteuil. 
 
 " Yes divine Gelta, it was for the sake of our 
 cause. For that same reason Signor Monte had 
 been diffusing his sighs, whenever he could, in 
 your sweet presence, and when your severity for- 
 bade that, he sighed beneath your window; and 
 that has been the method we have both pursued, 
 these twelve months, in order to see whether you 
 were really as firm in character, and immovable 
 from your set idea of what is right, as you 
 seemed, and whether you could really resist the 
 manly fervor, and passionate pleading of an 
 Adonis like Leo Monti." 
 
 "How many more of my so-called admirers?" 
 she asked, a cynical smile hovering over her face 
 like a stray sunbeam, " how many more of my 
 heart-smitten friends, for you know," she said, 
 "there are about a dozen, who profess undying 
 love for me, tell me, how many of them are in the 
 enemy's camp ? ' 
 
 " Oh, about seven or eight," he answered lightly, 
 then becoming more serious, he said, "really 
 Gelta you, a Jewess, could never designate our 
 noble band, your enemies." 
 
 " No, Count, not if you put it in that light — but 
 let us discuss this matter as between man and 
 
76 gelta: ob, 
 
 woman," and then she seriously continued, " so 
 while you all enjoyed my hospitality, and friend- 
 ship ; you did not for a moment hesitate, to attack 
 my heart ; and had it yielded to the pressure of 
 the fevered hand, it would have been afterwards 
 carelessly tossed aside. Meanwhile being melted 
 out of form, and shape ; and this would have been 
 the unscrupulous work, of some of my so-called 
 friends." 
 
 "Pardon me, but you were not a woman who 
 would yield, this was our impression from the 
 very first." 
 
 " And now," she said slowly. 
 
 " And now," he repeated, bowing courteously, 
 " our unanimous opinion is that the citadel is im- 
 pregnable." 
 
 A silver laugh broke from her lips, as an emblem 
 of forgiveness ; " Eeally, Count," she added after 
 a moment's merriment, " I must admit that your 
 band's method, of converting, one to Nihilism, is 
 unique ! and may I," she sarcastically continued, 
 " add rather pleasant to the convertors." 
 
 " Oh, how you wrong us men !" he replied with 
 a touch of sadness in his voice. 
 
 " Wrong you !" she interrupted, getting excited 
 in her delivery, " wrong you, it well becomes you 
 to say so, it is so characteristic of man to attempt 
 to do the uttermost mischief that lies within his 
 power, and if he meets defeat where he least ex- 
 pected it — why then he cries out to the gods, of 
 how he has been wronged. Really Count it is 
 
THE CZAB AND THE CANTATRICE. 77 
 
 very farcical ;" and she threw nerself back amid 
 the cushions of her fauteuil, and indulged in a 
 long hearty laugh. 
 
 He stood in an attitude of humility with his 
 head bowed like a general who had been defeated, 
 and taken prisoner, — for he was only human, 
 though he had sacrificed love, and all the sacred 
 ties, to the cause of stamping out oppression, still 
 this beautiful child, so fair in girlhood's lovlines3, 
 so pure, and high minded, so extraordinarily in- 
 telligent, and so thoroughly accomplished ; who 
 could remain indifferent in her presence? Al- 
 though his head was bowed, his eyes gazed into 
 hers, as he seriously replied, "yes, you wrong us 
 men; Gelta you do not know or cannot, as a girl 
 understand the torture a man endures, when he 
 makes love to a woman, when his passions get 
 roused to the highest pitch, and when he can hope 
 for no consolation from the object, sought with 
 such emotional fervor." 
 
 " But tell me, Count," she asked interrupting 
 his passionate outburst, " tell me ; you, and your 
 conspiring friends, have never suffered the tortures 
 which you speak of, since you have never given 
 the object to whom you, and they, attempted to 
 make love to, a moment's feeling, or serious 
 thought, since it is all done to gain converts, for 
 the good of your cause, since it is simply, a me- 
 chanical device, to serve your purpose." 
 
 " It may be a device," he interposed, " yet it by 
 no means follows, that the deviser escapes suffer- 
 
78 gelta: or, 
 
 ing. Man lacks that keen, calculative penetration, 
 which nature has endowed your charming sex 
 with. Do you for a moment suppose," he con- 
 tinued, " that man would ever seek the society of 
 a pretty woman, would ever attempt to kiss her, 
 allow his passionate nature to dwell upon thoughts 
 of love, while grafting her image on his mind, if, 
 in the secret chamber of his heart he did not feel 
 convinced, that he would eventually overthrow 
 the theories of his fair antagonist ? Certainly not ! 
 If he actually realized the hopelessness of his at- 
 tempt, man would shrink from his boldly laid plot, 
 like a child before a dragon. For he well knows 
 the penalty which nature exacts, from those who 
 attempt to juggle with her emotions. No, my fair 
 enchantress " he went on, " you may rest assured 
 that man has not the deep penetration, which is 
 your sex's great weapon of defence, for man goes 
 forth to entangle the weaker sex, when to his 
 amazement he discovers, that he himself, is hope- 
 lessly entangled." 
 
 " And a blessing it is to my sex," she answered 
 " to be able so deftly to punish, man's conceited 
 temerity." 
 
 "Therefore," he continued, "you must imagine 
 how many sacrifices of physical and mental suffer- 
 ing my brethren and I are willing to endure in the 
 cause of justice, if we venture to face the danger 
 of your fascinations. For our noble band has 
 sworn solemnly never to marry, never for a brief 
 moment to consider one's personal feelings or 
 
THE CZAR AND THE OANTATRICE. 79 
 
 comforts. Our entire life and death have been 
 dedicated to only one sacred aim, and that is, to 
 eradicate the unjust tryanny of Kussia !" 
 
 " My dear Count," she said, " you have my 
 warmest smypathy." 
 
 " We want more," he replied, coming close to 
 her chair, and looking cautiously about him. Then 
 bending over her, he whispered, " Gelta, we want 
 more than sympathy from you, we want you to 
 join our cause in action, to be the Jewish Joan of 
 Arc, and help to crush oppression beneath our 
 feet." 
 
 " My dear Count the project is pure insanity." 
 
 " There are times," he retorted " when the sub- 
 lime insanity of one moment, seems saner than 
 the sanity of the flat years." 
 
 " But Count," she interposed — 
 
 " Don't, don't pray interrupt me," he replied, 
 "until you have heard what we have mapped out 
 for you ;" and with low rapid speech he continued, 
 
 " since the death of General B , our mode of 
 
 communication has been discovered, our slightest 
 movements are watched by a thousand spying 
 eyes, there is only one person, who can to-day 
 enter the Russian frontier, proceed to St. Peters- 
 burg, be entertained by the elite of Russian 
 society, without ever rousing the slightest sus- 
 picion. If you will only say the word yes! the 
 rest would be easy, very easy. For you well know 
 that lam the family physician of our Russian 
 minister here, and that the director of the Si 
 
80 gelta: or, 
 
 Petersburg Opera house is an old friend ; don't 
 you see, how between the Russian Minister at 
 Paris, and the director at St. Petersburg, they 
 could easily facilitate matters, without ever sus- 
 pecting the real object, it would only be render- 
 ing me, their friend, a personal favor. If after 
 your pronounced success of last night, in a month 
 or so, your physician recommended you to a 
 change of climate, to recuperate your health, and 
 if you received an advantageous offer, from the 
 directors of St. Petersburg, to appear before a 
 Russian audience, for a few limited concerts, and 
 operatic performances, with the American and 
 Russian Ministers at Paris as your social sponsors, 
 the door of the imperial family itself '; would be 
 thrown open to welcome the beautiful American 
 nightingale. Then when you are there, you have 
 only to communicate a new cypher, to one of our 
 brethren, and the Czar with his family in a year 
 hence, will count no more. The Russian people 
 are realizing the necessity, of a constitutional 
 government, and tyranny will have received its 
 death blow forever." 
 
 Gelta during all these explosions of thought, 
 sat with calm sad eyes, gazing at the Count, as the 
 lights and shades played on his countenance, now 
 rendered thoroughly handsome, by the excited 
 outbursts of his soul. She knew the sad story of 
 his life. Knew his beloved mother had been 
 hounded to her death, how millions, innocent like 
 her, were at this very moment passing through the 
 
THE OZAR AND THE OANTATRIOE. 81 
 
 same throes of agony, having their hearts blood 
 spilled, and scattered, to the winds, and all for 
 what ? All through Eussian tyranny ; all through 
 the iron rod in the hand of the Czar ! in whose 
 name his officers ; and councillors, rain blows on 
 the heads of his most devoted subjects. Yet what 
 could a tiny handful of enthusiastic martyrs ac- 
 complish ? Nothing ! All this Gelta was for the 
 hundredth time silently revolving in her active 
 brain, struggling to discover some other means, 
 besides dynamite, by which the wretched people 
 of Eussia could hope for deliverance, but no ! it 
 all seemed so very dark, so very impenetrable. 
 Nothing ! she mentally concluded, could save the 
 suffering people and no one, but God! Oh! if Be 
 only would take compassion upon human misery, 
 as he did when he delivered the children of Israel, 
 from the Egyptian oppressor. 
 
 Count Boroffsky seeing her plunged in deep 
 thought, without apparently offering any resist- 
 ance to his arguments, stood in front of her with 
 fixed eyes, endeavoring his utmost to bring his 
 supposed power of hypnotism to subdue this ac- 
 complished strong-minded girl to his will. With 
 mental rapture he watched her dilated eyes, look- 
 ing far into space. 
 
 "The first hypnotic symptoms," he thought, 
 "are taking effect; if I can only keep her mind 
 under this influence, for one half hour, then she 
 will be ours, then she will obey our bidding. ' 
 And he stood motionless, with outstretched hands 
 
82 gelta: or, 
 
 before her, the hypnotizer watching his subject, 
 the physician watching his patient, and now feel- 
 ing convinced, that eventually nature must yield, 
 to the scientist! 
 
 Eeturning from her mental peregrination, she 
 stirred, her lips moved, she whispered, " Oh, if 
 God would only take compassion on them." 
 
 "God!" he exclaimed, "No, Gelta, God does not 
 trouble with us here. It is we men who do the 
 wrong! man's inhumanity to man, and therefore 
 upon us devolves the responsibility to right the 
 wrong, and if justice cannot be accomplished 
 through right, why then it must be done through 
 might! You know the old adage: 'All's fair in love 
 and war.' It is not the weapons we employ, but 
 the justifiable end, to benefit humanity, which we 
 are pursuing, which is the cause of our noble 
 heroes, and heroines, having pledged their lives, 
 to root out the pest which devastates Kussia." 
 
 "Ah! Count," she said, becoming once more her 
 energetic self, "you talk like the true surgeon, who 
 does not hesitate to cut deep into the human 
 flesh, if it is eventually to relieve the patient from 
 his suffering, and therefore the knife becomes a 
 divine instrument, but there, you have carefully 
 studied the subject, and thoroughly reasoned it 
 out — but what lucid reason, can there be, in your 
 present method of action? None! you all know me 
 thoroughly well enough, to understand, that there 
 is not one atom of fear, nor selfishness, in my 
 nature — and if by devoting, aye, sacrificing my life, 
 
THE CZAR AN© THE OANTATRICE. 83 
 
 I could bring relief to my oppressed fellow beings, 
 then my only regret would be, that I had not a 
 hundred lives, to dedicate to the cause ! You know 
 very well how keenly alive I am, to the insults, 
 heaped upon the proud ancient house ot Israel, 
 the chosen people of God, ancestors of great 
 kings, prophets, of warriors, poets, musicians, the 
 Jewish woman," she continued with enthusiasm, 
 "who stands out pre-eminently as an emblem of 
 purity, since God saw fit to choose a Jewish 
 maiden as the mother of Christ. Does it not seem 
 sadly ludicrous, that these so-called Christians, 
 should worship Jesus, while directing the greatest 
 insults against his relatives, whose parents, were 
 his ancestors? Is it not a disgrace to modern civi- 
 lization, that such barbarous prejudices should 
 be tolerated, or allowed against any race, or sect, 
 because of a political error which their ancestors 
 may have committed? No, Count, we are not so 
 civilized as we think we are, for with all our 
 vaunted civilization, we have made very little ad- 
 vance, within the last two thousand years. The 
 world is still hid in its black cloak of barbarity, 
 still immured, in the dungeon, of its narrow ideas, 
 and petty prejudices, which will not permit pro- 
 gressive thoughts, or enlightened minds, to enter 
 its portals. With the exception of dear America, 
 France, and merrie old England, God bless them 
 all; in what other country can a man go to the 
 church of his choice, harbor his own theological 
 theories, and yet feel that love of fellowship, to- 
 
84: gelta: ob, 
 
 wards Lis neighbor, who perhaps, worships, his 
 God, in a manner differing, much from his own 
 method? Still, that does not prevent him from 
 feeling the good will, towards his neighbor, it does 
 not make him harbor hidden dislikes, because the 
 other man worships his God, from a different chap- 
 ter in the Bible. Of course we owe this liberty of 
 thought to the three grandest nations in the world, 
 whose enlightened governments stand pre-emi- 
 nent, upon the firm, foundation, of justice and 
 truth ! And may they forever remain, the beacon 
 light of true civilization." 
 
 Count Boroffsky stood silontly gazing at her; 
 he could not refrain from inwardly admiring her 
 logical eloquence, but as her beautiful counte- 
 nance resumed its normal repose, his heart mis- 
 gave him, he felt his air castles, built upon 
 hypnotic theories, crumble beneath him, he felt 
 vaguely convinced, that hypnotism, in his sense 
 of interpretation, did not exist. The scientist for a 
 brief moment realized that he had been pursuing 
 a phantom, which when clutched yields no sub- 
 stance to the grasp, simply a delusion, nothing 
 more ! Still, he did not interrupt her, and Gelta 
 continued : 
 
 "Do you know Count," she said, "a feeling has 
 for some time pervaded me, that one day, perhaps 
 it may yet be a distant day, still I think that be- 
 fore another hundred years shall have passed, 
 Russia's tyranny, will be abolished, through the 
 combined efforts, of America, and England. They 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 85 
 
 do not realize as yet, that it is their duty to inter- 
 fere, for those distant sufferers, but some day it 
 will dawn upon them, as a mission from God, that 
 it is their sacred duty, to go forth, and deliver the 
 helpless Eussians, from the bondage, beneath 
 which they now writhe, just as the Northern States 
 went against the South, to right the wrongs 
 of the negro slave. You know that as a native 
 Southern girl, I ought to feel pained at the North's 
 interference, but I don't ; on the contrary, I rever- 
 ence and ardently love, the North; for having 
 irrevokably, lifted the cloud of ignominity, that 
 was hovering over the South. It is to the glori- 
 ous North, we owe the respect, with which other 
 nations, now must regard us." 
 
 "But," said the Count, his face once more 
 beaming with a suppressed hope, "if through our 
 noble little band this grand event were to pre- 
 cipitate the delivery of Kussia, if through our be- 
 havior, we could attract, the attention of England 
 and America, and thereby concentrate their gaze 
 upon the tortured Kussian, then it might precipi- 
 tate their interference." 
 
 " No, Count believe me, you and your followers, 
 are laboring under a sad mistake," she answered, 
 «'I feel that all your attempts at aiming at the 
 Czar's death for peace's sake, are futile! Too 
 much has there been of it. And what has been 
 the results ? A certain number of assassinations ; 
 some noisy explosions of dynamite, and no more, 
 when the smoke has cleared all has been found 
 
ob gelta: or, 
 
 to be as before. Believe me, if the present Czar 
 should be assassinated, another would succeed 
 him, perhaps even more cruel, and then," she con- 
 tinued, an angelic light like a halo crowning her 
 beautiful face, "what a grand triumph, for the 
 Czar it would be, one which would compel the ad- 
 miration of the world, if one could reach the 
 heart of this Emperor, and through his own kind 
 magnanimity, have him ease the yoke of his 
 people." At this extravagant remark, the Count 
 shrank back with a surprised and sardonic laugh ! 
 
 "Ah, my child," he sighed, "you cannot realize 
 what a fiend this being is; who stands invested 
 with the title of Czar." 
 
 At this juncture Marrienne appeared and an- 
 nounced lunch. 
 
 "Come Count," said Gelta, arising and gently 
 taking hold of his arm, "come let us to dejeuner, 
 for after our long discussion I feel very hungry, 
 and you know," she laughingly continued, "we 
 singers usually are endowed with tremendous 
 appetites." 
 
 " You simply pretend to be in a jesting mood," 
 he answered seriously, "so as to indicate, that my 
 appeal has made no impression." 
 
 "No Count," she interposed slowly, "my heart, 
 and sincere sympathies, have always been with 
 you, and your noble followers, but you are mis- 
 guided, in your mode of procedure; and as I can- 
 not suggest a remedy, I desire to remain neutral! 
 I cannot, and will not, implicate myself in a battle, 
 
THE CZAR AND THE OANTATRIOE. 87 
 
 where the chance for success seems hopeless!'* 
 And with a determined look she continued, "let 
 us not discuss this subject again, as my having 
 to refuse, is very annoying to myself, and to my 
 friends, and now once for always, since we thor- 
 oughly understand each other; let us go and en- 
 joy our luncheon" 
 
 CHAPTEE X. 
 
 It was spring. In spring Paris takes on, as 
 does no other city, something of the savor and 
 seduction of a pretty woman, and in the perfumed 
 air, particularly in the Bois, there is a headiness 
 that will intoxicate. 
 
 Three months had passed since Gelta's success- 
 ful third visit to Paris had caused her name and 
 talents to become a household word wherever 
 she chose to look. She saw herself invariably 
 praised, and yet her inward soul yearned for some- 
 thing more lasting than the momentary applause 
 of the fleeting crowd. Most other girls would have 
 been extremely happy in her position, but Gelta 
 was so different, from other girls. She would 
 always think of those, whose life, was so full of 
 darkness, she would always contrast her pleasant 
 surroundings, with those of her less fortunate sis- 
 ters, then she would feel a pang of sorrow vibrate 
 through her brain, and she would say to herseli 
 that she had no right to exult in her happiness, 
 
88 gelta: or, 
 
 whilst there was so much misery, amongst human- 
 ity, without giving their sufferings a thought, 
 without offering her mite, to soften the sorrow, of 
 those, so bowed beneath misfortune. And then 
 she felt deeply pained, after reading every day 
 the daily despatches, depicting the cruel, perse- 
 cution, of her race in Russia, and the humiliation 
 heaped upon Judaism, the mother of religion, from 
 which Catholicy, Protestantism and many other 
 sects, were the offspring, and to see these, her own 
 descendants, insult her in her old age, while pro- 
 gress was marching forward, without pausing to 
 castigate, the unnatural offspring, was indeed a 
 very sad spectacle to contemplate, and poor Gelta's 
 heart was filled with intense pain, at her own 
 helplessness. "Oh!" she thought, "if I could 
 only prove a second Queen Esther ! to be able to 
 plead, before the Czar for my people, to be able 
 to obtain, his goodwill, toward the Jews, I would 
 willingly offer my life as a sacrifice." Then she 
 thought of all that Count Boroffsky had said to 
 her so often, of how callous and inhuman the 
 Czar was, and how it even lay within her power 
 to have the Czar, and his family, hurried out of 
 the world. But no, her heart, the heart of the 
 true Jewess, shrank from a deed so brutal, a deed 
 of blood and murder; all the Jewish antipathy, 
 rose with noble horror, at the imaginary sight, of 
 the revolting deed. "No," she mentally con- 
 cluded, " in future I will not listen to any of Bor- 
 offsky's nihilistic plots; it must not be through 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 89 
 
 treachery, or murder, that the Jews shall be re- 
 stored, to their ancient high position; it is their 
 superior morals and thoughts that must eventu- 
 ally gain them, their high, and just recognition, 
 from all the other races. No! it must not be ac- 
 complished through treachery or bloodshed, but 
 on the contrary, through love, pure, divine love, 
 such an unselfish love, as one of our holy brethren 
 preached, thousands of years ago ! whose memory 
 and name the Gentiles adore ! but not his preach- 
 ing. They mumble aloud the name of Christ, so 
 that they might be overheard by their neighbors, 
 while they shut Him, and His divine teachings of 
 good will towards men, out of their selfish hearts, 
 and this is the fashionable religion of to-day. 
 Oh, how much more satisfactory to the inward 
 soul, were a tiny grain of holy love, and purity of 
 feeling, toward suffering and downcast mankind, 
 than a mountainous display of pompous vanity, 
 and empty chaff. And then she once more re- 
 flected, that perhaps the Czar, is not so callous, 
 at heart, as report says, perhaps if one could 
 reach the good spark of his soul, that divine 
 spark of heaven, which lies hidden, in the inner 
 recess, in the most hardened, of human beings — 
 perhaps if it were found, and fanned into a flame, 
 he would yet be a noble ruler ! " 
 
 And then she thought, " I have been told so 
 many times by both the sexes, that I am possessed 
 of the power of magnetic personality, which per- 
 force attracts ; and if such is really the case, then 
 
90 gelta: or, 
 
 is it not my duty to go to St. Petersburg, to 
 endeavor to fascinate the Czar, in order to gain 
 his good will towards the unhappy House of 
 Israel ? " Then suddenly she started up from her 
 seat and began to pace hurriedly up and down the 
 room. " What madness ! " she said aloud to her- 
 self, as the idea of going to St. Petersburg seemed 
 to take a fixed hold upon her. "It is such a 
 chimeric idea, this power of magnetism, and I am 
 really astonished, at myself, for having one brief 
 moment indulged in the absurd thought. No, 
 there is only one power to invoke, the power of 
 the Almighty. He will guide me." 
 
 CHAPTEE XL 
 
 The world is strange ! nothing happens that we 
 anticipate, when apparently stiffled by the com- 
 monplace, we are on the brink of stepping into 
 the adventurous! Life is adventurous. Events 
 are perpetually occurring even in the calmness of 
 domestic existence, which change in an instant, 
 the whole train and tenor of our thoughts and 
 feelings, and often materially influence our for- 
 tunes and our character. It is strange and some- 
 times as profitable, as it is singular, to recall our 
 state, on the eve of some acquaintance, which 
 transfigures our being, with some man whose 
 philosophy revolutionizes our mind ; with some 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 91 
 
 woman whose charms metamorphose our career. 
 Those retrospective meditations, are fruitful of 
 self knowledge. 
 
 Three months had elapsed since Gelta's return 
 to Paris. After a few days rest she had taken up 
 her old work in order to shut out new thoughts 
 and feelings which were constantly assailing her! 
 It was just because all her feelings ran down to 
 the roots of her life, and that each was as real as 
 the other, that she found such a difficulty in 
 reckoning with them. She was endeavoring to 
 fly from her own self. Notwithstanding the con- 
 stant excitement, and the many visitors, that 
 always surrounded her, a great change had taken 
 place within her. For the first time since her 
 childhood, the proud refractory feelings of her 
 heart, were subdued, and a deep sensation of joy, 
 mingled with a dull pain, pervaded her ; and on 
 top of all the waves of emotion, that surged up 
 within her, was the sympathetic face of Count 
 Varicoff, like an angel of light, imploring her to 
 sail with him into a new, and undiscovered 
 world ; where the harbor of divine love could be 
 reached ! 
 
 At such times she would piteously stretch out 
 her hands to dismiss the sight from her mind, and 
 then to rouse herself, would indulge in drives, and 
 scenes of excitement, in order to drown, the one 
 yearning of her heart. Count Boroffsky was one 
 of her frequent guests, and although he had still 
 persisted since her return from London in coaxing 
 
92 gelta: or, 
 
 her to join his cause, and to visit St. Petersburg, 
 she had determined never to get entangled with 
 plots and conspiracies of any kind, so he 
 eventually abandoned the hope of enlisting her 
 services. Still he was one of the few devoted 
 friends whom she really trusted, for he felt almost 
 a paternal interest in her welfare. 
 
 He had of late silently observed a marked 
 change in her, she seemed sad, at times distracted, 
 she would converse with friends, and her eyes 
 would wander beyond them, gazing into empty 
 space. 
 
 One Sunday after the coffee had been served in 
 her salon, (Boroffsky having that day lunched 
 with her), she, after having sipped her coffee in 
 good old Turkish style, suddenly threw off for a 
 moment her serious manner, and became en- 
 raptured with the holy fire of her old enthusiasm, 
 for music, and song. He sat silently observing 
 her attempt, at light-heartedness, then shook his 
 head in the negative. 
 
 "No! Gelta," he murmured slowly, "you cannot 
 deceive me ! you are deeply in love ! " 
 
 "In love!" she exclaimed utterly disconcerted 
 at the dreadful revelation, which she had en- 
 deavored not to admit even to herself! "I, in 
 love!" she continued, "What put that absurd 
 idea into your head ? " 
 
 " Well, I am a man, and have studied, and do 
 study, by preference, the female heart, the finest 
 and most wonderful of nature's work. As a 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 93 
 
 phjrsician, and from a scientific stand-point, I am 
 interested in its different symptoms," and then 
 drawing his chair nearer to hers, and taking hold 
 of her wrist to feel her pulse he concluded, " Yes 
 Gelta, you are deeply in love ! the fever is not yet 
 thoroughly developed, but its symptoms have 
 already arrived.' ' 
 
 "Beally, Doctor!" she answered mockingly, 
 " and as a physician, what antidote do you pro- 
 scribe ?" 
 
 " Marriage," he promptly replied. 
 
 Instead of receiving his prescription with a 
 hearty laugh, she leaned back in her chair with 
 serious mien and plaintive voice, murmuring, 
 "It is sad, very sad, that marriage, should cure 
 love!" 
 
 " Not at all," he smilingly interposed, " it simply 
 allays the fever ! " 
 
 "Marriage! Marriage!" she slowly mused. 
 She had never thought of marriage unless to 
 laugh at it, and now she discovered, that an un- 
 known, and mighty emotion, had taken hold of 
 her. She saw at her feet an immense castle 
 crumbling. — Until now, she had calmly and firmly 
 believed in will power, and now, she felt this 
 will strangely battling, with a greater power. — 
 Marriage ! she mused, and then continued aloud. 
 
 " Doctor, I am afraid that I shall never marry ! " 
 
 "And why?" he asked with an incredulous 
 smile. 
 
 " Why," she repeated, " Because you ought to 
 
94 gelta: ob, 
 
 know me sufficiently well, by this time, to feel 
 that I will never marry a man, whom I do not 
 deeply love, that I will never perjure myself, as 
 nine-tenths of the women do, by swearing at the 
 altar, that they love, and will continue to love 
 their husbands, when in reality, they only feel a 
 very faint affection for them, sometimes, not even 
 that. In circumstances so deplorable, marriage 
 with all its ceremonies, including the church, 
 bridesmaids, and relatives, is nothing but a sacri- 
 legious farce. Then again, another great obstacle 
 lies in my path ! I am a Jewess, and in the 
 nature of things, I am supposed to marry within 
 the bounds of my religion, and supposing, inde- 
 pendent of my will, I fall deeply in love, with a 
 Gentile, and you know," she said, "I number 
 some of my dearest friends, among them, you 
 also know, when we, of our race, love, it is 
 deeply, and for life. ' 
 
 " Well, if you were really in love with a Gentile, 
 you certainly would marry him," he answered. 
 
 " I don't think I should, " she quietly replied, 
 "not because of prejudice," she quickly added, 
 " oh, no ! for it is only very, very ignorant and 
 narrow-minded persons who harbor prejudice, 
 that is something I am thankful to say, which I 
 have never felt. No, I may pityingly look on the 
 petty insults that are thrust against the Jews, 
 because of their race, by narrow, insignificant 
 people who are incapable of loft} thoughts, but 
 their erring conduct, would never arouse pre- 
 
THE OZAB AND THE CANTATRICE. 95 
 
 judice within me. Oh, no, only a deep pity for 
 their ignorance. However, I feel I would never 
 marry a Gentile for the simple reason, that I con- 
 tend, that every one should marry within the 
 bounds of his own religion, so that between hus- 
 band, and wife, there should not exist the slightest 
 shadow of a thought, apart from each other. To 
 my idea, true marriage means, the same views, the 
 same feelings, the same desires, the same aims." 
 
 " Two souls with but a single thought, 
 Two hearts that beat as one." 
 
 " Ah," she sighed, " if I could only meet a man 
 of my own religion, for whom my heart would 
 throb, and who would sincerely love me in re- 
 turn, what a truly happy couple we should be ! 
 to build one's own little Paradise, with each 
 other's love, and both live there — sheltered from 
 the world's cares ! " 
 
 " You ask," he gravely replied, " for what people 
 seldom get!" 
 
 " Is my desire so unreasonable a one ?" she de- 
 manded in sweet, plaintive tones. 
 
 "No, far from it," he answered, "and happy 
 the mortal who shall ever have the right to call 
 you his — but, " and he paused, sadly looking at 
 her, "But " 
 
 "But?" she queried. 
 
 " The truth is, " he replied, " that women like 
 you, women who harbor your noble ideas, regard- 
 ing love, and marriage, are doomed to many 
 severe disappointments of the heart." 
 
96 qelta: or, 
 
 " And why 9 " she asked, " why ? " 
 
 " Why ? because we very rarely find, that, which 
 we are anxiously seeking. For example, if I could 
 feel that there would be a possible chance, of 
 ever winning you, for my wife ; I would become 
 that which you would have me be ! I would not 
 leave a stone unturned, until I had succeeded ; 
 and if your faith stood against me, why I would 
 at once embrace Judaism, for, you know, I have 
 Jewish blood in me, my cherished mother having 
 been a noble daughter of the House of Israel ! N 
 
 " Yes, I know, " she dreamily interposed, while 
 the face that had for several months occupied her 
 mind's eye was irresistably drawing her towards 
 him. " I know," she answered with sweet, sad 
 voice, •' you are devoted to me, I look upon you 
 almost as a father, for you are about his age had 
 he lived — but pray, never, never speak to me of 
 love again ! " 
 
 " You see, " he murmured slowly, " the heart 
 can never get that which it really yearns for, " 
 and with a tinge of hopeless despair in his voice, 
 he said, "henceforth I will visit you less fre- 
 quently ; in fact, I will see as little of you as pos- 
 sible — but always remember this," he continued, 
 with suppressed emotion, "no matter at what 
 future time, or in whatever part of the world, you 
 may be, I will always watch over you ; and if you 
 should ever need the council, or help, of a true, 
 devoted friend, you may always rely on me. Let 
 us at least agree upon one point, and that is, that 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 97 
 
 although you will seldom or never hear from me 
 direct, still, I want you to feel sure of my un- 
 swerving love, pardon, I mean devotion, which 
 will only terminate, with life itself. " Then he 
 clasped her hand which he held in silence for a 
 few moments, and reverently imprinting a fare- 
 well upon it with his lips, he quickly left the 
 room. 
 
 During all this Gelta had sat quiet, without 
 interrupting him, and now that he was gone, a 
 deep melancholy pervaded her being, as she 
 silently mused, " another friend lost ! " and then 
 she mentally asked herself, " why is it that a man 
 can talk of the deepest, holiest, feeling, love ! and 
 as soon as he finds it is not reciprocated, instead 
 of accepting the friendship, which his loved object 
 offers him, instead of being content, to be near the 
 one, whom he sincerely declares he loves, he flies 
 from her, abandons her, to all the dangers of the 
 world ; never intends to approach her again ! and 
 this is what man calls real love. Well ! " she 
 concluded, " the man in love who flies from the ob- 
 ject of his heart, can only be one of two things, a 
 coward, or a philosopher, the former, because he 
 shrinks from pain, or the latter, because he has 
 the power to persuade himself, that the love, 
 which has just been refused to him, he will be 
 able to find elsewhere." 
 
98 gelta: or, 
 
 CHAPTEE XII. 
 
 What a mystery is love ! All the necessities and 
 habits of our life sink before it. Food and sleep 
 that seem to divide our beings, as day and night 
 divide time, lose all their influence over the lover. 
 He is a spiritualized being, fit only to live upon 
 ambrosia, and slumber in an imaginary Paradise. 
 The cares of the world do not touch him, its most 
 stirring events are to him but the dusty incidents 
 °* by-gone annals. All the fortunes of the world 
 without his mistress are misery, and with her all 
 its mischances a transient dream ! O! Lovet ia 
 vain they moralize; in vain they teach us that 
 thou art a delusion ; in vain they dissect thine in- 
 spiring sentiment ; and would mortify us into 
 misery by its degrading analysis. The sage may 
 announce that gratified vanity is thine aim and 
 end, but the lover glances with contempt at his 
 cold blooded philosophy. Nature assures him 
 thou art a beautiful and sublime emotion ; and he 
 answers, " Canst thou deprive the sun of its heat 
 because thou canst analyze its effulgence?" A 
 man in love wanders in the world, as a som- 
 nambulist with eyes that seem open to those that 
 watch him ; yet in fact view nothing, but their 
 own inward fancies. 
 
 Upon Count VaricofFs return home, he had de- 
 termined to forget this beautiful young girl, who 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 99 
 
 had so suddenly entered the inner chamber of his 
 heart, since not knowing even her name, he did 
 not know where to search for her. He spent his 
 days diligently attending to important State mat- 
 ters, and his evenings were spent in a whirl of 
 social entertainments. But suddenly in the midst 
 of most important business, his mind's eye would 
 see the face, he was striving to forget. 
 
 In the evening, while attending the opera, or a 
 banquet, or perhaps dancing with some fair Kus- 
 sian belle, at one of the brilliant Court balls ; her 
 face would always present itself, and all else be- 
 came a blank. She was constantly before him, at 
 night in his dreams, until he became enraged 
 with anger, and would almost strike her, for haunt- 
 ing him, then a minute later he would stretch 
 out his hands imploring her forgiveness, and 
 burst into a torrent of tears; as if his heart had 
 exploded. 
 
 At the end of three months, he confessed to 
 himself, that he had never known until then, the 
 depth of his own feelings, in thinking he could 
 forget her! "No," he mentally concluded, " why 
 wish to root out the feeling he had for her? 
 which, even hopeless as it was, filled him with so 
 exquisite an emotion. No ! " he philosophically 
 mused, "life is too short, too mechanical, to let a 
 divine emotion escape one's soul, while dallying 
 with reason. The fact is," he concluded, " when 
 a thrill of warmth has entered the soul to stir its 
 slumbering energies, the cause of that emotion 
 
100 GELTA : OR, 
 
 should be guarded, and cherished with true de- 
 votion, till the fire of love bursts into a flame. 
 Its intense heat will of course scorch the soul, 
 but then it will glow with passion forever." 
 
 Of late Count Varicoff had remained in his 
 apartment during his leisure hours, he gave out 
 that he was writing a book on his theories of ex- 
 ercising one's will upon another's even at a dis- 
 tance, by simply concentrating one's own will and 
 thoughts upon the object. Such was his excuse 
 for not wanting to be intruded upon. He loved 
 to surround himself by an intense solitude, where 
 he could absolutely concentrate his whole heart, 
 soul, and brain, upon his fair incognita. In his 
 theory of overpowering another's will-power to 
 one's own, he felt convinced, that if from the depth 
 of his soul, he should call her, she would be irre- 
 sistibly drawn towards him, and in that case, she 
 would one day cross his path, perhaps soon, it all 
 depended upon the amount of determined will, he 
 would be able to command, over her actions. 
 One April he was sitting far into the night, his low 
 arm chair drawn close to the fire for the night 
 was still chilly. He took her letter from out his 
 bosom and read it, as he had done so many times 
 since their meeting, lie seemed to see strange 
 objects, through the smoke of his cigarette. How 
 he would dream for hours, always thinking, think- 
 ing, thinking, trying to penetrate into the mys- 
 terious future, and calling from out his soul to 
 her, 'till at times, he became bewildered with ec- 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRJOE. Wl 
 
 staoy; then his mind would -see her loving, trust- 
 ing face, and a soothing calmness would pervade 
 the fever of his soul ; and he would retire, with 
 the conviction, that she would obey his will, and 
 come to him. 
 
 CHAPTEE XIII 
 
 It was the beginning of the month of June. 
 Paris was crowded with continental visitors. The 
 eve of summer was robed in nature's lovliest garb, 
 the weather was most enchanting, the race would 
 be sure to be a great success and everybody who 
 was somebody, and those who were nobody, all 
 were in great readiness to be seen, and to see the 
 grand prix. Another month and all the promi- 
 nent theatres would be closed until the next sea- 
 son. Paris, the gay, and sparkling, the witty, the 
 brilliant, Paris, which for philosophically grasp- 
 ing the brightness of life, stands pre-eminent 
 among the capitals; was now in the height of its 
 glory. Gay speeches and silver ripples of laughter 
 constantly broke on the resonant air, and were 
 wafted back by the merry atmosphere that lov- 
 ingly encircled enchanted Paris. Amid all this 
 over-bubbling of life Gelta felt an icy inward de- 
 pression, not that she courted that melancholy 
 feeling, on the contrary, when Count Boroffsky 
 had interpreted the feeling which had come over 
 her, ever since her return from London; when the 
 
102 , f GELTA : OR, 
 
 Oounf had Suddenly surprised her by telling her 
 that she was in love ! Gelta had then and there 
 made a determination, that if such were really the 
 case, the feeling must be nipped in the bud, for 
 she was too intelligent, and too reasonable, to 
 foster a love for a man, of whom she knew noth- 
 ing, and especially, one, who had always harbored 
 prejudiced feelings against her race. For several 
 months during the interval of the different operas, 
 in the hours of her leisure, she was constantly 
 moving about; first she would be seen at some of 
 the select balls, with sparkling eyes and laughing 
 mien, appearing to be plunged deepest in its mirth, 
 then again at some of the grand dinners she would 
 delight and fascinate with her brilliant wit, all 
 those about her, and so her leisure moments were 
 taken up encountering the gayeties of the season, 
 in order to fly from herself. But it was useless, 
 for when she appeared to be enjoying herself the 
 most, her poor heart felt an icy numbness, for 
 very often midst the gayest scenes, her mind's eye 
 would suddenly conjure up some of the heart- 
 crushing scenes which she had witnessed amongst 
 the poor in the East of London, and she would 
 draw instant comparisons, and ponder, over the 
 fact, that if only this gay crowd had a little less 
 of the luxuries, and the poor a few more of the 
 necessities of life, how much greater, and more 
 equal, would the human happiness have been 
 distributed all over the world, and then the feel- 
 ing would come over her, that whilst so many 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 103 
 
 millions of human hearts were suffering the throes 
 of want, it was a sin, to be so thoughtlessly 
 merry, without pausing to consider, to pray for 
 them, without each person willingly offering his 
 mite, to help to bring a ray of sunshine to those 
 who are crushed and weary. 
 
 The Russian Jews were especially in her 
 thoughts ; every morning's paper bore witness of 
 fresh cruelties. Gradually the idea, that had 
 already crossed her mind, the idea of going 
 out to Russia with a faint hope of being 
 able to achieve something by her personal in- 
 fluence, began to take shape. 
 
 A voice spoke within her, asking her whether 
 she really was as helpless as she thought? Per- 
 haps she might encourage the oppressed with 
 hopes of a new land, possibly she might try to 
 gain the ear of the imperial family, and plead, on 
 behalf, of her misjudged, and persecuted people. 
 
 No sooner had this last idea taken hold of her 
 than it seemed to shape itself into a fixed duty. 
 The more she thought of the matter, the more 
 fixed became her sudden determination that she 
 must go! 
 
 Gelta was a girl who when once she had de- 
 cided upon a plan of action set about immediately 
 in a practical manner to attain her aim. She 
 therefore wrote to the manager of the St. Peters- 
 burg opera house, who had made her at various 
 times advantageous offers to visit St. Petersburg; 
 the director Baron de Sucoffsky, was only too de- 
 
104 gelta: or, 
 
 lighted to hear that this gifted singer had re- 
 considered her former decisions, and matters were 
 soon concluded to the intense satisfaction of both 
 parties in particular, and St. Petersburg society 
 in general. 
 
 One morning Count Boroffsky was surprised to 
 see the following paragraph in one of the leading 
 daily papers : 
 
 M Miss Gelta Dechon leaves at the end of the present month 
 for St. Petersburg, where on the 6th she is to sing in * Mignon,' 
 and 'Esclarmonde,' before the Ozar and imperial family. She 
 returns to Paris early in April." 
 
 Count Boroffsky immediately called with the in- 
 tention of congratulating her upon her decision ; 
 but her maid informed him that her mistress was 
 not at home, he understood her meaning, and 
 Gelta felt relieved at having once and forever 
 convinced him, that although she expected to go 
 to St. Petersburg, she would have nothing to do 
 with Nihilism; or its encouragers. She received 
 a long letter the next morning from Boroffsky, 
 wherein he assured her that his love for her 
 would be everlasting, and though she seemed in- 
 different to him, he would always watch over, and 
 shield her from all dangers ; also informing her 
 that he was by the same mail writing to a number 
 of his friends who were in the elite of Russian 
 society, and that her welcome there would be an 
 assured success. "Without troubling the reader 
 with an account of the voyage to St. Petersburg, 
 as all travels present pretty much the same 
 features, we will observe only, that about the 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 105 
 
 middle of November, two weeks before her ex- 
 pected debut, Gelta arrived in the capitol of Eussia. 
 A suite of rooms were in readiness for her at the 
 Hotel de l'Europe. One thing she determined 
 upon; to economize in her expenses as much as 
 possible, and devote to the poor whatever she 
 could spare. 
 
 After a few days rest she drove to the American 
 Legation and paid her respects to the stars and 
 stripes. No sooner had it become known that 
 she was in the city of the Czar, than society over- 
 whelmed' her with their visits and invitations. 
 
 The American Minister gave a grand dinner in 
 her honor and there she met the elite of the city, 
 including some members of the imperial house- 
 hold. One of the guests there, an immense 
 favorite in the Minister's family, was an English 
 lady of middle age, whose husband was attached 
 to the British Embassy ; and who had resided in 
 Eussia for about ten years. A Mrs. Wilson. 
 Mrs. Wilson was immediately fascinated with 
 her beautiful American cousin, and Gelta recipro- 
 cated the feeling. So she finally accepted Mrs. 
 Wilson's very kind offer, to show her the different 
 sights of interest in St. Petersburg. 
 
 Gelta was greatly disappointed with her first 
 view of the Capitol. From the extraordinary ac- 
 counts she had so often read of its magnificence, 
 she was certainly led to expect something infinitely 
 more grand. 
 
 A drive of half an hour enabled Gelta and her 
 
106 GELTA I OB, 
 
 friend to pass through all the best parts of the 
 city. It is true that in one tableau were assem- 
 bled a number of splendid buildings such as few 
 capitols afford ; and to Gelta's outbursts of ad- 
 miration, Mrs. Wilson quietly remarked, that if 
 within the same space were collected all the fine 
 public buildings in London, with all the advan- 
 tages of the great extent of ground and clear 
 atmosphere, enabling the visitor to obtain an un- 
 obstructed view of their various beauties, it would 
 be easy to guess which would present the more 
 imposing appearance ; " added to which " con- 
 tinued Mrs. Wilson, " you must bear in miod that 
 the edifices in St. Petersburg for the most part are 
 only of brick and stucco. That this assemblage 
 of all that is splendid in the city, gives it at first 
 sight a magnificent ensemble, I do not deny ; but, 
 like everything Russian, the showy facade, only 
 hides, what is mean behind." 
 
 After this summing up of Russian character, 
 so briefly sketched by the amiable Mrs. Wilson, 
 Gelta sat for some time, silently musing how dis- 
 agreeable it must be to have to reside a long time 
 amid such deceptions : they drove past the winter 
 palace facing the war office. In the intermediate 
 space stood the Alexander column, with the 
 bronze angel on the top, whose head is bowed in 
 adoration and who bears a golden cross in his 
 arms. Then they drove through the large square 
 of the Admiralty, where stands the celebrated 
 statue of the Czar Peter ; on their left hand was 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 107 
 
 the ministerial and judicial department. Behind 
 the statue was the magnificent Isaac Church, 
 whose great golden dome, seemed glaringly to 
 mock poverty's uplifted gaze. On the bank of 
 the Neva opposite to this edifice, were the 
 University and the Academy of Fine Arts, the 
 latter a large and handsome square building. 
 The object that attracted Gelta's attention the 
 most, were the granite quays, with which the 
 Neva, and the canals are bordered, and which 
 must have cost incalcuable trouble, and an im- 
 mense expenditure both of treasure and human 
 life, in their construction. 
 
 They visited during the next few days the many 
 places of note, such as Peter's Museum, the 
 Academy of Science, the Palace of the Hermitage, 
 the Monastery of Alexander Nevsky, etc. In the 
 first of these (Peter's Museum), Gelta felt a vivid 
 interest as sh 3 gazed at the many relics of the Czar 
 after whom it is named; many of them were the work 
 of his or/n hands, models of ships, a chandelier, 
 some iron articles, shoes, and little ivory figures. 
 There were also his tools, and instruments, care- 
 fully preserved under a glass case. In another 
 apartment was the effigy of the great Peter him- 
 self, modeled in wax, habited in one of his own 
 court dresses, having shoes on that he himself 
 had made, and wearing his own natural hair made 
 into a wig. Unlike the Russians generally, he 
 had dark eyes and hair, and his features had 
 more of the southern cast, than of the northern. 
 
108 gelta: or, 
 
 As Gelta stood silently gazing at the effigy of 
 one, who during his life-time had conquered 
 nations, and bowed adverse circumstances to his 
 iron will, she could not help pondering on what 
 a complex character his had been, horribly, 
 brutal and proud, and then amazingly humble. 
 At one time he would sally forth into the street, 
 and decapitate, with his own sword, a dozen, or 
 more unfortunates, who had been condemned to 
 death ; then he would go into a poor cobbler's 
 shop, and set about learning the trade, and asso- 
 ciated with the humblest; then again a fit of 
 ambition would lead him to have his only son 
 imprisoned, and then done to death — in order that 
 the Russians, should look up to him alone, and 
 again he would be seen mingling, with the com- 
 mon laborers in the dock yards, modelling ships, 
 and trying to impart to them the knowledge he 
 had gained, during the time he had been Queen 
 Elizabeth's guest, when he visited England, 
 expressly to gain an insight, into English ship- 
 building. And as Gelta stood gazing at the few 
 faded vestiges of what had once been filled with 
 so much arrogance, ambition, and brutality, she 
 sighed again, and could not help from reflecting 
 upon the futile attempts, of such poor deluded men, 
 whose only aim in life, is, to make their fellow 
 beings, cringe before them, as if royal clay were of 
 a different kind, an everlasting one, and had naught 
 in common with the ordinary mortals,whom they 
 daily encounter. Alas ! for poor proud humanity. 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 109 
 
 " My dear," said Mrs. Wilson with a smile, 
 arousing Gelta from her musing, " Peter's effigy 
 will keep, but the weather may not, and as this 
 is a particularly fine morning, let us take a walk 
 down the Nevsky Perspective, the finest and most 
 fashionable street in St. Petersburg." 
 
 And so they sallied forth. Meanwhile Gelta 
 was remarking the grotesque carricatures over- 
 hanging the doors of the different shops and 
 commenting on the same to her friend. 
 
 "Yes," answered Mrs. Wilson, "the shops or 
 magazines, as they are called here, to distinguish 
 them from the common Eussian warehouses, in 
 the Gostinoi Dwor, all have sign boards, with the 
 articles their proprietors sell, painted thereon — a 
 proof of the ignorance, for if the people could 
 read, such paintings would not be necessary." 
 
 " How dreadful it must be," Gelta interposed, 
 " to come in contact with so much ignorance." 
 
 " Hush, my dear," Mrs. Wilson quickly replied, 
 meanwhile cautiously looking back to see whether 
 some one had not overheard the remark. " You 
 must be very, very careful while in Eussia, as to 
 how you express yourself, and especially so, in 
 writing to your friends abroad, for most of the mail 
 is opened — and a correspondence which does not 
 coincide with the ideas of the Eussian police, is 
 treated with the severest measures in the name 
 of the Czar. But above all things, don't forget 
 what I told you — when three persons meet to- 
 gether in Eussia, you may safely count one of 
 
110 gelta: or, 
 
 them as a spy. A young gendarme officer used to 
 visit at the house of one of our acquaintances ; 
 his presence always produced restraint, as the 
 officers are obliged in duty bound, to report 
 whatever they may hear. Apropos of the spy 
 system," continued Mrs. Wilson, " I know from 
 good authority that, besides the secret police, 
 there are one hundred and twenty thousand paid 
 agents in this country, among whom, to their 
 shame be it spoken, are many women. Even 
 some of the French milliners in St. Petersburg 
 have the reputation of being agents of police; 
 for these marchandes de modes, have free admis- 
 sion to the masquerades, theatres, etc., where 
 they can exercise their detective talents. It is no 
 exaggeration to say that a Russian subject scarcely 
 dares to utter his true sentiments, even to his own 
 brother, or familiar friend. I am sure that I 
 have often been present at conversations, in 
 which perhaps four or five would be taking part, 
 each knowing that his neighbor was telling a lie, 
 and avowing sentiments, exactly contrary, to 
 those he felt. Yet the subject under considera- 
 tion, would be discussed, with all the gravity, 
 and seriousness, of entire conviction. What 
 standard of morality can we expect, from a nation 
 where the government robs the masses of their 
 hard-earned gains, in order to pay, and maintain, 
 a regiment of spies, who are there, to hound them 
 to death? Of course I would under no con- 
 sideration express my thoughts to anyone else, 
 
THE CZAB AND THE CANTATEICE. Ill 
 
 for although our meeting has been but of a few 
 days ago, I feel that we have known each other 
 for ever so long, from the descriptions I have re- 
 ceived, concerning jour lovely character, and 
 noble sentiments from our mutual friend." 
 
 Gelta turned to her chaperone with a look of 
 surprised inquiry. 
 
 " Count Boroffsky," replied Mrs. Wilson with 
 a smile. 
 
 "Oh, yes," Gelta answered slowly after a 
 moment's reflection for she felt that silence would 
 now be dangerous ; " Yes, the Count is one of my 
 many Parisian admirers,' for a sudden thought 
 had flashed through her mind, that her chaperone 
 might be involved with the Count, in some 
 Nihilistic plot, or she might be totally innocent, 
 of his conspiracies. She might simply be a friend. 
 But the germ of suspicion, having entered her 
 mind, Gelta at once determined, to guard against 
 her new made friend. Hence it shows, that the 
 Russian air, through its present mode of govern- 
 ment, is impregnated with suspicion, and it is 
 difficult to be within its bounds, if only for a few 
 clays, without being reduced, to closely hiding 
 one's inner thoughts, from the view of one's best 
 friends. 
 
 Gelta and her chaperone were now sauntering 
 along the Nevsky Perspective. It was crowded 
 with belles and beaux, all anxious to display the 
 newest fashions from Paris. The innumeraole 
 officers kept lounging about, equally desirous of 
 
112 GELTA ! OE, 
 
 admiration. Gelta was closely veiled and begged 
 her friend not to stop to talk to any of the numer- 
 ous acquaintances to whom Mrs. Wilson was 
 busily kept nodding, as she did not desire to be 
 introduced to them, until after her debut. After a 
 half an hour's stroll along the crowded avenue, 
 they decided to return home; Gelta having re- 
 fused to dine that evening with the Wilson's, 
 promised to be in readiness, the next morning, in 
 order to walk through the Petersburgskaia 
 Storooa, where the Jews are located. 
 
 About noon the next morning, Gelta with her 
 diaper one were walking down the Jewish ghetto. 
 The rickety dwellings appeared to be guarded by 
 the spirit of heaviness, who had written upon the 
 door posts the word, " desolate." They passed 
 through the Hebrew quarters ; nearly every house 
 in which consisted of a bazaar, or small shop. 
 The scene did not differ materially from the poor 
 Jewish quarters in London, except in the haunted 
 expressions which the Jews had in their wan care- 
 worn, faces, as they suspiciously eyed any stranger 
 who might be passing through ; and very often 
 Gelta heard the password in Hebrew quickly 
 wafted from neighbor to neighbor (Steika speion) 
 — (hush spies), and then they all would gaze with 
 terrified looks after the retreating strangers, and 
 wonder what new catastrophe, was about to be 
 hurled at them, to emphasize, the Russian Chris- 
 tian's hatred ; for these poor people realize, that 
 they live on the thin crust of a volcano, which 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 113 
 
 might explode, at any moment, and scatter them 
 to the winds. Gelta often dropped a few silver 
 coins into the hands of some old or blind mendi- 
 cant, but the Jews only eyed her with more sus- 
 picion, for as they did not take her to be a Jewess, 
 they knew from bitter past, experiences, that they 
 need not expect a kindness, from a Russian Chris- 
 tian, who never loses an opportunity, of express- 
 ing his intense hatred for them. 
 
 After a couple of hours spent amid these poor 
 unhappy Jews, Gelta with her friend, returned to 
 the hotel. Her heart was filled with sadness as 
 she remembered the haunted, persecuted look 
 stamped on the weary faces of the House of 
 Israel. She mentally determined after the first 
 week of her debut, to revisit the place alone, and 
 deposit her earnings in the hands of the Rabbi 
 for immediate distribution. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 It was the evening of Gelta's debut. She was to 
 impersonate "Mignon." The house was beauti- 
 fully lit up, and the boxes all decorated. The 
 vast auditorium presented a sea of faces, the ladies 
 all attired in the latest Parisian creations ; their 
 low cut bodices studdied with precious stones, 
 their throats and hair glittering with diamonds. 
 The gentlemen in their military attire, with breast 
 
114 gelta: or, 
 
 coats literally covered with the numerous decora- 
 tions conferred upon them by the Eussian court, 
 presented a very handsome and imposing specta- 
 cle. The American and English nations were 
 well represented by their respective ambassadors. 
 The performance was about to begin, the murmur 
 of suppressed voices that swayed the house, de- 
 noted with what curiosity, and intense interest, 
 the entree of the new prima donna was awaited. 
 The Emperor and the members of the imperial 
 family entered the royal box, the orchestra 
 struck up the national anthem ; the audience 
 rose, and stood with bowed heads until 
 the last notes of " God save the Czar," had died 
 away. 
 
 The Emperor was in uniform, covered with 
 jeweled decorations, and looked dignified and 
 commanding. The Empress, in a peacock-green 
 velvet robe, embroidered with sapphires, rubies, 
 and pearls ; a tiara of diamonds in her well-ar- 
 ranged coiffure ; her white throat encircled by a 
 stream of emeralds ; looked magnificent, and had 
 a touch of that wondrous, delicate beauty, with 
 which her sister in England is so happily en- 
 dowed. The Grand Duchess Xenie looked most 
 charming in a simple gown, of white crepe de 
 chin, studded all over with tiny silver stars, her 
 girlish throat and head being ornamented with 
 many strings of pearls ; in the back of the box 
 stood several other members of the royal family ; 
 his Majesty recognized with a military salute the 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 115 
 
 foreign Diplomats, and then gave the signal to 
 commence. 
 
 Behind the curtain, the suppressed animation 
 and excitement was equally intense. The stage 
 hands, and the numerous supernumeries, during 
 the interval of suspense between the finishing of 
 the overture and the rising of the curtain, were 
 speculating as to how the new 'prima donna 
 would come through the ordeal of her first en- 
 trance — whether she would be overcome by ner- 
 vousness, or not; she was still so very young. 
 Of course, the rehearsals had gone splendidly, 
 and then she had appeared in Paris with such 
 great success. But, after all, the voice is so 
 treacherous ; one can never be sure, one moment, 
 from the other, that one's voice will be able to 
 reach certain notes, at certain required moments I 
 undue agitation, a sudden draught, a too passion- 
 ate conception of the part, this, and many other 
 imperceptible causes, might leave one voiceless, for 
 the time being. 
 
 The manager, Baron Sucoffsky, was hurrying 
 to and fro with suppressed excitement, endeavor- 
 ing to impress on the different singers not to be 
 nervous ; then running here and there personally 
 to assure himself that nothing had been over- 
 looked, finally he retired to the box-office, where 
 his presence was in great demand. 
 
 Gelta was sitting in her dressing-room ready to 
 go on, for by the time she had finished dressing, 
 she had reasoned herself into a calm composure. 
 
116 gelta: ob, 
 
 She had taught herself, not to be overwhelmed by 
 disheartening failure, or to lose one's equilibrium, 
 through grand success ; since, she philosophically 
 reasoned, everything vanishes alike, with a few fleet- 
 ing years. Thus Gelta Dechon was the calmest and 
 most composed inwardly, on both sides of the cur- 
 tain. 
 
 Hush ! a tap at the door ! It is the call-boy's 
 voice. A moment later Gelta sallies forth with 
 true Jewish energy and American determination, 
 depicted on her lovely face. The look of the 
 conqueror is stamped upon those features, and 
 with the silent vow, "I will succeed" trembling 
 on her lips, she steps into the cart ready to be 
 carried on before the audience. A cold silence 
 greets her as Wilhelm receives her from the 
 gypsies, and questions her, as to the land of her 
 nativity. Her youth and beauty had already 
 made a profound impression upon the audience. 
 Still silence reigns; she begins the well-known 
 air, " Connais-tu le pays. " It was a song, which 
 seemed to express Gelta's own inmost yearnings, 
 her vague aspirations after that ideal land of 
 dreams, which always eludes our awakening eyes. 
 "When she sang it, it was as the melody of her 
 own soul. It was not only her voice, art, beauty, 
 youth that made their living appeal, it was 
 something more, something indefinable — per- 
 chance, that yearning, of a wandering race, for 
 its homeland. And something in all souls, 
 responded to her own, for who has not known 
 
THE CZAR AND THE OANTATRIOE. 117 
 
 this longing, for the unattainable, and the un- 
 known ? 
 
 The Emperor leans forward; the harsh, for- 
 bidding expression, which covers his face like a 
 strong mask, for a moment vanishes. A faint 
 smile of satisfaction struggles through his cold, 
 grey eyes ; he claps his hands ; no sooner has he 
 done so, than the entire audience bursts forth into 
 a thunder of applause, which lasts for several 
 minutes. Gelta is kept bowing and bowing; a 
 sudden feeling of relief has come over her, and the 
 tears of gratitude well up into her eyes for having 
 conquered through her humble efforts. 
 
 In the imperial box, another person is suddenly 
 overwhelmed with feelings of gratitude to his 
 Maker, for he has most unexpectedly recognized 
 his beautiful incognita. Count Varicoff stood as 
 if transfixed ; he thought it was all a sweet dream ; 
 he did not move, lest he should break the en- 
 chanted spell! What had he seen? What 
 ravishing vision had arisen upon his sight? 
 What did he feel ? What wild, what delicious, 
 what maddening impulse now pervaded his 
 frame ? A storm seemed raging his soul — a 
 mighty wind dispelling in its course the sullen 
 clouds and vapors of long years. A sublime 
 portal of love opened down the horizon ; he 
 stood gazing silently indeed, for he was speech- 
 less ; though the big drop that quivered on his 
 brow showed how much his self-suppression was 
 costing him. Voices issuing from the lips of his 
 
118 gelta: or, 
 
 relatives reached his ear, such as, " Well, she is 
 beautiful ! and her voice, and method, are exqui- 
 site." "Report in her case for once, has not 
 exaggerated." " To-morrow she sings in Faust, 
 we must hear her Marguerite." These, and many 
 other flattering remarks, reached him ; he heard 
 some one ask him his opinion ; it was the Grand 
 Duchess Xenie's voice, but he had a far off dis- 
 tracted look, as he answered in monosyllables; so 
 she did not continue her remarks to him. 
 
 How strange that those who experience the 
 deepest emotions, are for the moment capable of 
 expressing only the least ; for they are busy lis- 
 tening to their own tumult of feeling. 
 
 The curtain dropped, the entire house was 
 agitated with enthusiasm ; the verdict was unani- 
 mous ; everybody agreed with everybody else, 
 that the American nightingale, for youth, beauty, 
 and voice was peerless ; nobody could refrain 
 from saying something flattering concerning the 
 newcomer, everyone, except, Count Varicoff, ex- 
 pressed intense delight ; and he, in whose heart 
 she was nearest, he, who at that moment was the 
 only one who would have gladly forfeited his very 
 life for her sake, could express neither by look, 
 nor word, the unanimous verdict which echoed 
 through the house. 
 
 That night Count Varicoff agitatedly paced up 
 and down his room, revolving in his mind 
 whether he should call at the hotel de l'Europe 
 and send up his card* or whether he should wait 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 119 
 
 and trust to fortune who had already been so kind 
 to him. He did not think it diplomatic simply 
 to send up his card, for he reasoned, and felt, 
 that she would refuse, to receive him, as she had 
 in London. No ! he could not face such a risk, 
 so he wisely concluded to wait, since they were 
 bound to meet at some social gathering. Five 
 days had elapsed and still Count Varicoff had not 
 had the opportunity of speaking to the ideal of 
 his dream. His patience had now become ex- 
 hausted ; for five days, to one in love, without 
 being able to see and speak to one's idol, seemed 
 like five centuries of burning torture ; and so the 
 Count determined to wait no longer, for early 
 next morning he called at the office of the direc- 
 tor of the Opera House. Baron de Sucoffsky 
 had only just arrived, and was busily engaged in 
 opening the first post's mail, when he was sur- 
 prised to see Count Varicoff honor him with a 
 matutinal visit. The greetings over, Varicoff 
 explained in a few brief words that he had an 
 important message from a friend of his in Paris, 
 to convey to Mademoiselle Dechon, and that he 
 desired the Baron, to go with him at once, to the 
 Hotel de l'Europe, and introduce him to the lady, 
 and then leave him there to deliver his message. 
 Of course Baron Sucoffsky, immediately acqui- 
 esced, and whatever suspicions might have flashed 
 through his mind, that his august visitor had 
 stronger reasons than those given for wishing to 
 be introduced to the beautiful American, he did 
 
120 gelta: or, 
 
 not dare intimate as much, either by look, or 
 word, especially, as the Count remarked "of 
 course my calling here this morning Ca reste entre 
 nous"\ The Baron understood ai once that the 
 matter was to remain a secret, and he was only 
 too happy to serve those, to whom he had many 
 reasons to be grateful. 
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 With Gelta Dechon it was the same old story, 
 there is nothing like success; it makes success; 
 she had become the social lion of the day, for as 
 a climax to all compliments paid her, the 
 Emperor did Mad- Dechon the honor of presenting 
 the Empress to her, and gracefully led Gelta the 
 night before, after her jewel song in "Faust," to 
 his consort's presence. 
 
 The elite were overwhelming Gelta with in- 
 vitations to entertainments and dinners, got up 
 in her honor. Visitors were pouring in upon her 
 at all hours, among whom could be seen the 
 proudest princesses, and duchesses, in the land ; 
 all rolling up in their equipages bent on paying 
 personal homage to the beautiful American 
 nightingale. 
 
 Gelta had been compelled to deny herself to 
 most of these well-intentioned people, and the 
 rehearsals, and performances, were offered as an 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 121 
 
 excuse for refusals to see the numerous visitors. 
 Of course the morning in question when Gelta 
 received the director's card, she gave orders that 
 the Baron should be admitted at once, and that 
 she was not at home to any other callers. 
 
 She was sitting at the piano running over the 
 ivory keys with her delicately tapering fingers, 
 trying to connect a new cadence, which had oc- 
 curred to her that morning, for one of her arias. 
 Robed in a beautiful tea-gown of shimmering 
 white mousseline de sole, her lovely dark locks 
 carelessly held together by an amber comb of 
 diadem design, her clear complexion and dark 
 lustrous eyes heightened by the color of her robe, 
 she looked as she sat there, wandering over the 
 keys, a perfect picture of graceful, entrancing 
 beauty, the ideal of a poet or painter's dream. 
 She recognized Baron Sucoffsky's gentle tap at 
 the door. 
 
 " Entrez, entrezl " she cried gaily in silvery tones, 
 without turning her head from the music before 
 her. 
 
 The Count's good-natured voice was soon heard 
 bubbling over with compliments, as he kissed 
 her hand which she held out to him without with- 
 drawing her eyes from the notes before her. 
 
 " Ma chere Mademoiselle" said the Baron, " I am 
 on my way to the Opera House ; I have only a 
 moment to spare, but I was passing the hotel, 
 and I could not resist for just one short moment, 
 coming and enquiring after your health* Now,' ' 
 
122 GELTA : OR, 
 
 he continued, " that you have set all St. Peters- 
 burg raving over you, you must try to be calm, 
 and take some rest, don't get too excited and 
 nervous, for you know that it is very bad for the 
 voice." 
 
 All this was delivered with great rapidity of 
 speech. Meanwhile Count Varicoff stood gazing 
 in the background at the lovely ideal of girlhood 
 before him, and as he drank in the beautiful 
 curves of her symmetrical form, he felt a mighty 
 rush of emotion shake his trembling body, as if 
 a sharp shock of electricity had coursed through 
 his quivering frame. 
 
 After pausing a second in his speech, the Baron 
 continued, " Allow me to introduce you to the 
 Grand Duke Demetrius, who has a message for 
 you from one of your Parisian adorers." Gelta 
 for the first time turned and faced her visitors ; 
 and she beheld Count Varicoff! Their eyes met, 
 her voice trembled, and her features quivered 
 with suppressed excitement, as the surface of a 
 lovely lake is ruffled by sudden winds. She ex- 
 pressed herself pleased to meet the Grand Duke 
 Demetrius. 
 
 Baron Sucoffsky, deploring once more his 
 necessitated haste, made his exit; the door 
 closed, and they were once more alone ! 
 
 " They met, as two leaves floating on the water, 
 They formed a friendship, stronger than blood." 
 
 Gelta was but a few steps from him, and as he 
 caught her fond smile, which was struggling 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 123 
 
 faintly through the blushing embarrassed features; 
 he sprang to her side in an instant, his heart beat 
 so tumultuously, that he could not speak ; he 
 seized with a trembling touch her extended hand 
 and gazed upon her with a feeling of ecstacy. 
 
 " Oh, you are so beautiful,'' he murmured. 
 
 "How strange," she faintly said, "that we 
 should have ever met." 
 
 " Indeed," he replied, " I think it most natural. 
 I will believe it," he continued, " to be the fulfill- 
 ment of a happy destiny. For all that I have 
 sighed for now I meet, and more, much more than 
 my imagination could ever hope for." 
 
 "Only think," she softly said, "of our first 
 meeting, such a little while ago, and yet it 
 seems an age ; I will, as you say, believe it 
 was Fate, which impelled me to answer you 
 that day in the museum, lest you should think 
 of me—" 
 
 "I think of you only," he interrupted, "as the 
 noblest and sweetest of beings," and he pressed 
 her hand most tenderly. 
 
 Gelta was not less moved, finding herself in the 
 very presence of the face which from the first 
 meeting, had haunted her, and which for months 
 past she had struggled to forget ; and now as he 
 held her hand, she felt a chaos of strange emotions 
 sweep over her ; she stood with downcast eyes, 
 speechless. 
 
 Then with the impulsiveness that was part of 
 his nature, he abruptly took her in his arms, and 
 
124 gelta: or, 
 
 kissed aer, again and again, with an amount of 
 nervous energy that quite startled her. 
 
 With blazing eyes he looked into her exquisitely 
 beautiful face that had paled with contending 
 emotions. She tried to draw away, but he held 
 her fast, she cried — " Let me go " with a deter- 
 mination which flushed her face once more, and 
 caused her eyes to glow until they flashed like 
 stars, and those wondrous eyes burned into his 
 very soul. 
 
 " You must respond to my soul's deep yearn- 
 ing," he said passionately. " You must give me 
 some hope." 
 
 " It cannot be," she sadly answered, " it is im- 
 possible, for you know I am a Jewess, and there- 
 fore I must marry one of my creed." 
 
 " And what of that ? Love levels all, love has no 
 creed, it sweeps away every barrier of race and 
 faith. For you I will renounce everything and 
 will become your slave ! " 
 
 " Oh ! you must not talk thus," she moaned. 
 " For me to listen to such words of love in these 
 circumstances, would be a mortal sin ; pray leave 
 me, give me time to think, I cannot collect my 
 thoughts at present, be generous and leave me. 
 If you desire my friendship you shall have it, but 
 more for the present, I cannot promise. Pray 
 leave me, it is the first favor I ask of you, do be 
 manly, and grant it." 
 
 She had spoken hurriedly, and with intense ex- 
 citement. She struggled to release herself as a 
 
TAB CZAR AND THE CANTATRIOE. 125 
 
 captured bird tries to free itself from its captor ; 
 there was such a mute appeal in her blanched face, 
 that he suddenly let her go. 
 
 " Count," she said coldly, suddenly regaining 
 her self-composure, " hereafter I must refuse to 
 see you, it is better for us both." And before he 
 could utter a word, she had swept from the room 
 into her boudoir, locking the door after her. 
 
 He had no alternative, and not wishing to be 
 seen in his distracted mood, he hurriedly made 
 his exit, and then drove quickly home. When 
 once there, he shut himself up in his rooms and 
 endeavored to think ; he cursed his impulsiveness 
 and lack of self-control, for he was tormented 
 by anger, disappointment, and passion, which 
 wrapped him up in a nest of knots and thorns, 
 and made him incapable of thinking. For he was 
 so thoroughly angry with himself for having 
 frightened her, and driven her from his presence. 
 And then his face would become radiant with 
 hope, for he knew that she loved him, he could 
 tell it from her trembling voice, trying to hide the 
 emotion that surged from her heart, the blood that 
 rushed to and from her face, all told its tale of the 
 depth of her feelings for him, and he well re- 
 membered her confession of love which she had 
 made in the first and only letter which he had ever 
 got from her, in London, when, she thought that 
 they would never meet again ; and with these 
 thoughts his face grew bright, and his heart rackod 
 by tumultuous passions, grew strong once more 
 
126 GELTA : OR, 
 
 with hope. He had thrown himself on the cotioh 
 and overcome by exhaustion, fell asleep. 
 
 In sleep consciousness leaves us, yet the brain 
 often continues to think ; during this silent, indis- 
 tinct work, the thoughts often change their 
 definiteness, the soul awakes in a new world, al- 
 together different from the one we left before we 
 closed our eyes. 
 
 Demetrius had while awake, being all ex- 
 citement from, what he had undergone, only 
 found roads without any exits, and had gone 
 from one fit of desperation into another, for he 
 divined what a hopeless task it was to persuade 
 a Jewess to waver from her creed ; but in this 
 quiet sleep, he had unconsciously trodden a new 
 road, and as he awoke, he gave his dream deep 
 consideration. He had dreamed that he, holding 
 Gelta's hand in his, had embraced Platonism, and 
 therein discovered an ideal world. 
 
 Despite the sceptics, Platonic love is possible — 
 it is found in human nature, just as we find 
 genius, heroism, unselfishness, all very valuable 
 and Heavenly, because found so seldom, but still 
 at times found. To the Grand Duke Dmetrius's 
 credit, be it said, that at tJiat moment he actually 
 felt convinced, that he could embrace the faith of 
 Platonism, so he sat down and penned at great 
 length his new found thoughts to Gelta. 
 
THE OZAB AND THE OANTATBIOE. 127 
 
 CHAPTEE XYL 
 
 Gelta's coolness of manner and self-composure 
 as she left her room, were in striking contrast 
 with the tumultuous passion which had so sud- 
 denly swept over her a few minutes ago, and 
 served to stamp her, as an extraordinary woman. 
 But oh ! after she had entered her boudoir, and 
 locked the door, the latter to demonstrate to him, 
 in the outer room, that his presence was not de- 
 sired, she threw herself upon the couch and wept 
 bitterly. She heard him leave the room and felt 
 her heart go with him, then she cried aloud — "O, 
 God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Omnipotent 
 Creator of everything, what have I ever done to 
 offend Thee so, that Thou shouldst as a punish- 
 ment make me love a man, whose wife I can never 
 be! Have I not in every deed and thought 
 through all temptations remained a pure, virtuous 
 daughter of Israel? Have I not been always 
 most modest and conscientious in my demeanor ? 
 and is this to be my allotted reward, is my poor 
 aching, lonely heart, to be crushed beneath the 
 weight, of love, and duty ? for I love this man, 
 yes, I love him with the intensity of my soul, for 
 months I have struggled to hide the thought from 
 myself, but now, since I have seen him again, I 
 can no longer deceive myself. O ! God ! be mer- 
 ciful, and lend Thine ear to the storm which 
 
128 gelta: or, 
 
 rages within me, I can shut this man out of my 
 presence, but I cannot shut him out of my 
 thoughts, and if the love which I feel for him, is 
 a sin, then I pray Thee most fervently, to teach 
 me what to do, lead me, oh ! guide me, with Thy 
 merciful hand, but if through loving this man I 
 should be intended to face dishonor, then I be- 
 seech Thee, ! God, most fervently, to take my 
 life at once, and deliver me from Earth's woes." 
 And after having thus unburdened her soul with 
 prayer, she wept, and wept, and the convulsive 
 sobs that issued forth from her bursting heart, 
 told of the agony, which that lonely girl felt, who 
 had neither father, mother, or brother, to turn to, 
 for a word of comfort, or advice, in the fierce 
 battle with the world. 
 
 As the wind clears the heaven, the outburst of 
 copious tears eventually tranquillizes the soul. 
 The tumult of her mind gradually subsided ; the 
 flitting memories, the scudding thoughts, that for 
 a moment had coursed about in such wild dis- 
 order, vanished, and melted away, and a feeling of 
 bright serenity, a sense of calmness, came over 
 her, and she felt that the divine power which 
 fills all space, and watches over everything, 
 would mercifully keep her in the path of rectitude. 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATBIOE. 129 
 
 CHAPTEE XVII. 
 
 Gelta received the Grand Duke Demetrius's 
 very touching letter the day after she had so 
 summarily dismissed him, in which he breathed 
 such intense love ! and oh ! such deep sorrow, at 
 the thought of having offended her, and implored 
 her to forget, and to accept Platonism with him ; 
 she pondered deeply over its contents for some 
 time. The thought of platonic love had never 
 occurred to her before, and yet, her's, had been 
 platonic love from their first meeting; for she 
 deeply loved him, but she felt she could never 
 legally be his wife, and now she was more con- 
 vinced of the fact than ever, not only because of 
 the difference which existed in their religion, but 
 also in their birth, since he was so nearly allied to 
 the imperial family that she would never have 
 allowed him, to make the sacrifice, of abandoning 
 his rights, and family titles, in order to live with 
 her away from his country and friends, as a 
 private citizen, which he would have so willingly 
 made for her sake. 
 
 It was a little over a month since they had 
 made their platonic compact, and though she saw 
 him almost daily, their was nothing in his ad- 
 vances now to startle her. 
 
 In accordance with the condition she stipulated, 
 he never even talked of love ; but there are modes 
 
130 gelta: ob, 
 
 of making it, more eloquent, than language, and 
 which convey it more subtly and irresistibly to 
 the heart. The beam of the eye, the tone of the 
 voice, the thousand tendernesses, which eminate 
 form every word, and look, and action — these, 
 form the true eloquence of love, and can always 
 be felt, and understood, but never described. 
 
 It was a very bright, though cold morning 
 when Gelta went out alone to pay her weekly visit 
 to the Petersburgs Kaia a Storona, and called at 
 Rabbi Kantrowitz's house, to leave half of her 
 earnings, for him to distribute among the most 
 needy. 
 
 It was about eleven o'clock in the morning 
 when Gelta entered the Rabbi's house ; the old, 
 faithful housekeeper, Hannah, who was a distant 
 relative of the Rabbi's, answered the door, and 
 her habitually serious face, upon which many 
 sorrows had left their indelible traces, broke into 
 a broad smile, as she ushered this noble daughter 
 of Israel into the little sitting-room, for Hannah 
 knew too well, how many families, and sick Jews, 
 had derived sastenance, and encouragement, 
 through the temporary donations of this generous 
 lady, and so the faithful servant, as she preceded 
 Gelta up the dimly-lighted, narrow flight of stairs 
 which led into the small reception-room, kept 
 murmuring, heavenly blessings, upon the fair 
 visitor. 
 
 Rabbi Kantrowitz had been a resident in the 
 little house he occupied for over thirty-five years. 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 131 
 
 It had been a wedding gift from his departed 
 wife's father. Left a widower about ten years 
 ago, and not having been blessed with any 
 children, his sole aim in life was to merit truly a 
 place in heaven, by sincerely doing his utmost to 
 live a pure, unselfish and useful life, and serve 
 those faithfully, whom misfortune had crushed. 
 
 Kabbi Kantrowitz entered the room and gladly 
 welcomed Gelta, but she could see that something 
 was troubling his mind, for he looked sadder than 
 she had ever seen him before. From her very 
 first visit, some seven weeks prior, she had made 
 him promise that he would not mention her visits 
 or their object, for she thoroughly believed in 
 keeping charitable acts a secret, especially in her 
 public career, in order that they should not be 
 misconstrued, as a medium, for self advertise- 
 ment. 
 
 "Yes, Rabbi," she remarked for the second 
 time in the course of their conversation, during 
 which she had handed him her weekly offering to 
 be distributed as usual, " you are looking so down- 
 cast." He still held her little gloved hand, after 
 having solemnly blessed her in the old orthodox 
 fashion, by saying a prayer, with up-raised hands 
 over her bowed head. A ray of hope began to 
 struggle through his dim sad eyes, as he seemed 
 to clothe the thought, which had just entered his 
 mind, in words. 
 
 "Tell me," he said, "you have so many in- 
 fluential friends here, have you not ? and as they 
 
132 GELTA : OB, 
 
 all know you are an American they forget to in- 
 quire about your religion, and take it for granted 
 do they not that as you do not belong to the 
 Russian Church, you must perforce, be a here- 
 tic!" 
 
 "You know, Rabbi," Gelta interposed, "I have 
 not been asked, or I should have been only too 
 proud, to announce myself, a proud daughter of 
 the House of Israel." 
 
 " And a good thing it is," the Rabbi replied, 
 " that society in its enthusiasm has overlooked 
 the fact, if not, my dear child, you would have 
 already suffered the deep sting of their unrea- 
 sonable prejudice, for they are a pack of raving 
 fanatics." 
 
 " I care not for their prejudices, " she replied, 
 with contempt, " for glorious America is the land 
 of my birth, and Russia dare not trifle with 
 America's subjects. However, as you say, Rabbi, 
 it is useless to try to reason calmly with an in- 
 sane crowd, so I have determined within another 
 six weeks, when my contract expires, to leave 
 Russia forever, as my presence here can be of 
 very little or no benefit to my poor, persecuted 
 people ; their wretched lot only makes my heart 
 ache, at my own helplessness. But, good Rabbi, 
 you were about to refer to some of the influential 
 people who seem to be my friends ; if I can be 
 of the slightest service to you, you may be sure 
 that I will do my utmost to serve you. " 
 
 "I know the nobility of your soul," he an- 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRIOE. 133 
 
 swered, " and even to tell you of this very sad 
 case which occurred several months before your 
 arrival here, pains me deeply, since it is such a 
 hopeless one ; but there is a young man who is at 
 present in my house, and who arrived only a few 
 days ago, to see his aged, sick mother, who is 
 dying of a broken heart, because of her poor hus- 
 band, Isaac Goldstein's arrest, some six months 
 ago. She has had no tidings from him ; all we 
 know is, that at that time, he had received a 
 small sum of money from his only child, the 
 young man who is at present in my house. He 
 is a very fine pianist, and about iiYe years ago he 
 left Eussia penniless and on foot, and managed to 
 cross the Eussian frontier, unobserved, and 
 thereby escaped serving as a soldier and defend- 
 ing the banner of tyranny. 
 
 " After much suffering and privation, and with 
 the assistance from some co-religionists, he 
 managed to reach Vienna, where after a time he 
 got several pupils. With the little he earned he 
 managed to keep the wolf from the door, and also 
 to send home to his poor old parents three or four 
 roubles per month, for you see as he was prepar- 
 ing to appear in public, he had not the spare time 
 to waste in teaching, except so far as necessity 
 compelled him, and as his father had for many 
 years eked out a living by teaching Hebrew, he 
 finally was promised by his friends that if he 
 would send for his father, they would procure 
 him a number of pupils in Vienna! Of course 
 
134: gelta: or, 
 
 from the moment the idea was put before Schlomar 
 Goldstein, a new hope entered his lonely heart. 
 He saw his dearly beloved mother once more 
 presiding over the little household which he 
 knew he could call home, and then he thought 
 how the long hours of fatiguing studies would be 
 cheered by the sympathetic voice of his devoted 
 mother, and he planned how after his father's 
 lessons and his own hours of work of each day 
 were over, he would take his parents to see the 
 different sights which abound so plentifully in 
 Vienna, where everybody is so free and light- 
 hearted, that life and its struggles become a 
 pleasurable task. 
 
 " Well my dear child,' continued Eabbi Kant- 
 trowitz, " to make a long story short, after two 
 years hard and careful savings, Schlomar Gold- 
 stein managed to send one hundred roubles to his 
 parents to defray their traveling expenses It 
 soon became known that Isaac Goldstein had re- 
 ceived one hundred roubles, thanks to the Russian 
 spy system. As I have already said, no sooner was 
 it known that poor Isaac had received money, than 
 the head of the police sent for him, and informed 
 Isaac Goldstein, that he was accused of very grave 
 charges, and he must immediately hand over to 
 him (the chief of police) the money he had re- 
 ceived from his son, or take the consequences. 
 Of course poor Isaac was indignant and protested 
 his innocence and also denied having any of the 
 money left, and said he had paid several standing 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRIOE. 135 
 
 debts, for lie knew only too well, how many 
 privations, his cherished son had faced, in order 
 to accumulate, the amount, which was so soon to 
 unite them again. But the Russian official was 
 implacable in his hatred against the Jews, and in 
 his avaricious greed for money, and so he reasoned 
 that these dogs of Jews, ought to be at the bottom 
 of the Neva, and that he should best carry out the 
 wishes of the Czar by exterminating them. 
 
 " Poor Isaac in his indignant and bewildered 
 state of mind, had the imprudence, to tell the chief 
 that he was only endeavoring to extort money 
 from him, by groundless charges, for he, the chief, 
 knew very well, he was innocent. It was a fearful 
 remark to make to so powerful an enemy, for he 
 was immediately seized by two gendarmes and 
 sent to the Litovsky Zamok, which is the chief 
 prison of St. Petersburg. It is a dreadful place, 
 the prisoners, both men and women, are confined 
 there for years perhaps, before they are allowed 
 to get a hearing, or be put on trial, and on the 
 least provocation, they are mercilessly flogged." 
 
 "But," interposed Gelta, "if they had no proofs 
 against him, could not the Jewish community 
 send a petition to the Czar, stating the outrage, 
 perpetrated, upon their unfortunate co-religion- 
 ists?" 
 
 "Ah ! my child," said the Eabbi sadly shaking 
 his head, " in Bussia it is the easiest matter to 
 trump up the most serious charges, against tne 
 most innocent, and as for the Czar, I regret to ad- 
 
136 gelta: or, 
 
 mit, that with all his education and high birth, 
 he is as prejudiced against the Jews as the most 
 ignorant of his subjects are. For it is a true say- 
 ing, that i silence consents,' else if he did not hate 
 the Jews, he need only occasionally recognize some 
 of our leading Jews with a bow, and his officers 
 would not dare, after his recognition, to heap on 
 their ignominious charges, and practice their 
 many extortions, and unjust punishments, upon 
 our peace-loving people. 
 
 " But to return to poor Isaac Goldstein, we have 
 none of us been able to see him since the day he 
 was incarcerated, and in fact his case seems nigh 
 hopeless, for he may linger in prison perhaps for 
 years, before he is called for trial, and then all 
 he can hope for, is to be exiled to Siberia; for in 
 Russia, to speak to an officer, without cringing 
 before him in the dust, is an unpardonable crime, 
 and many noble hearts of nature's sterling coin- 
 age, have been tortured, and then suffered death, 
 for the same. 
 
 "Civilization is in a measure responsible for 
 Russia's barbarism, for if only the different 
 powers of the civilized world would withdraw 
 their ambassadors, and would cease having any 
 intercourse with Russia; in fact would excom- 
 municate her from civilization, it might teach her 
 to be more human, and Christian-like, toward 
 her helpless subjects; for if a parent unmercifully 
 abuses his child, the law takes it upon itself, to 
 interfere, and mete out a just punishment, to the 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 137 
 
 parent, and it is civilization's solemn duty, to 
 mete out a just punishment to Russia. But to 
 return to poor Isaac Goldstein: we are perfectly- 
 helpless, and dare not even express by word, or 
 look, that poor Isaac's incarceration is an outrage 
 against humanity, or that justice has erred, be- 
 cause, we all run the risk of being imprisoned, as 
 his accomplices, and left to rot in prison perhaps 
 for years to come, before we could get a hearing ; 
 so we have given poor Isaac up, as one that is 
 dead, and can only pray the God of Israel, the 
 God who fills all space, for Isaac Goldstein's de- 
 liverance." 
 
 " But this son of his ? " asked Gelta. 
 
 " His son, " continued Rabbi Kantrowitz, " ar- 
 rived two days ago to be at the bedside of his 
 dying mother, but if his presence here, were 
 known to the authorities, he would be condemned 
 to death, because of his failing to enlist. So, 
 during the last two days he has been concealed 
 in my house, while at night he sits by his 
 mother's bedside, who, strange to say, since she 
 has seen her child, is on a fair way to recovery. 
 However he only endangers his life by his pres- 
 ence here, and I have done my utmost to induce 
 him to return to Vienna, but he seems to be in- 
 different to life itself, since he learned of the grief 
 and misery of his parents. " 
 
 " How very sad," Gelta murmured, after having 
 listened in silence to the Rabbi, "I would like to 
 see Mr. Goldstein," she continued, "perhaps, 
 
138 gelta: or, 
 
 who knows ? I may be able to persuade him to 
 leave this wretched land, which is fraught with so 
 much peril for him. " 
 
 "My child," answered the Rabbi, "if you can 
 impress upon him to leave, you will have snatched 
 him from death, or worse, Siberia. " 
 
 " Go, good Father," she said, " send Schlomar 
 Goldstein here immediately, and leave us alone 
 for a little while so that I may speak to him un- 
 disturbed. " 
 
 The Rabbi, after a few moments absence, re-en- 
 tered and introduced Mr. Goldstein. The young 
 man was of medium height, his head looked as if 
 it were too large for his slight, wiry frame, he 
 had piercing, black eyes, a weird, far-away, de- 
 spairing look about his face. His hair was weedy 
 and long, his trousers bagged at the knee, they 
 looked as if they had quarrelled with the wearer's 
 boots, for they shrank fully ten inches away from 
 them, and no coaxing seemed to avail to get them 
 nearer. The boots, too, had an air of artistic 
 poverty. But clothes neither make the man, nor 
 the artist, and in this case, the neglected appear- 
 ance, merely suggested the inner despair, that 
 was gnawing at the core of his heart. 
 
 Gelta rose and heartily extended her hand to 
 greet him. "Won't you take this seat," she said, 
 indicating a chair near hers, as the Eabbi left the 
 room, apologizing for his speedy exit. 
 
 Mr. Goldstein acquiesced with a low bow of 
 thanks. 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRIOE. 139 
 
 11 1 am an American, just here for a short visit," 
 Gelta began in German, " and as a true daughter 
 of Israel, I cannot but feel deeply pained, at the 
 unjust indignities heaped upon my race. I have 
 accidently heard of your poor father's incarcera- 
 tion " 
 
 A suppressed sob broke from his heart, as he 
 leaned on the back of the chair for support, 
 burying his face in his left hand as if to hide the 
 tears that streamed down his sad, emaciated face. 
 
 Gelta took his right hand in both of hers in 
 silent sympathy. After a short pause she con- 
 tinued, not unmoved by the picture of helpless 
 despair before her. 
 
 "You see your being here does not assist 
 matters, and you well know the danger which 
 surrounds you for having evaded enlisting. Now 
 if you value your life you must return to Vienna 
 at once." 
 
 " Oh ! do not speak to me of life," he moaned ; 
 " when I think of my poor innocent father buried 
 alive in some dark cell under the Neva, and my 
 dear devoted mother, dying of a broken heart ; 
 what is life, what is God, what is anything to me, 
 compared with the appalling despair which sur- 
 rounds me?" 
 
 "Hush!" she said reproachfully, "you are 
 blasphemous! Have you then so little faith in 
 heaven that at the first blow of sorrow, you 
 abandon yourself to despair, instead of clinging, 
 and praying, to the God of all creation, to wit- 
 
140 gelta: ob, 
 
 ness your grief and help you? "Who was it that 
 watched over you when you first left home alone 
 and penniless, and safely guided your footsteps 
 to Vienna ? Was it not God ? "Was it not the 
 great God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who 
 made you encounter good, sympathizing friends, 
 and assisted you in your musical studies ? Was 
 it not the Great Almighty who so kindly watched 
 over you then ? and do you think he will abandon 
 you now, in your despair, no ! but if you do not 
 implicitly put your faith and hope in God, you 
 are not a true son of Israel ! Go, Schlomar." 
 
 He turned and looked at her with a start. 
 
 " Yes," she resumed, interpreting his surprise, 
 "this is no time for formality. I feel your sorrow 
 as if we were sister and brother, and in faith we 
 are, for we belong to the noble house of Israel. 
 Therefore," Gelta continued, "if you will obey 
 me, by leaving for Vienna this very night, I will 
 promise you, that I will endeavor to do my ut- 
 most, in getting some of my influential friends 
 interested, in your poor father's behalf." 
 
 He gazed silently at her as if it were an angel 
 speaking to him in a dream, and she resumed : 
 
 " Who knows " — with a far-away look, as if she 
 pierced the future and saw a happy family group 
 — " who knows, " she continued, " but that several 
 months hence, you and your parents may be hap- 
 pily established in Vienna ? " 
 
 He fell before her on his knees, kissing the 
 ground upon which her feet rested. 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATBICE. 141 
 
 " Oil ! " he sobbed aloud, " the picture is too 
 beautiful to be verified." 
 
 " Not if you place your sincere faith in God," 
 Gelta replied, rising, so as not to see him at her 
 feet. 
 
 After a short pause she resumed : 
 
 " Schlomar, if you leave to-night, I will send 
 your mother with a nurse as soon as she is able 
 to travel, and who knows, perhaps before another 
 week, your father may be free, to join you ; but I 
 will not stir in the matter, until I have received a 
 telegram from you on the other side of the 
 frontier, saying only the word " arrived. " 
 
 "My dear Madam," began the overwhelmed 
 Goldstein, " how shall I ever be able to show you 
 my deep gratitude ? " 
 
 " By doing, " she answered, " after success and 
 fame shall have crowned your career, the very 
 thing which I am attempting to do now ; that is, 
 to bring with sympathy, and deeds, a ray of sun- 
 shine, into the lives of those less fortunate, and 
 by never wavering in the faith, and lasting love, 
 of the Great Almighty. And now as we have de- 
 cided, " she said, as she rose to leave, " Schiomar, 
 this afternoon I will send a hundred roubles, and 
 when you are safely in Vienna, I will send you 
 another hundred so that you may prepare a com- 
 fortable place for your parents. " 
 
 " No, I cannot accept money from you," he re- 
 plied with almost a cold dignity, as if all his man- 
 hood revolted at the very thought of it. 
 
142 gelta: or, 
 
 "You are not accepting it from the woman," 
 she answered, " but from the artist. You see we 
 are comrades, it is simply a loan, and when some 
 day you will be able to return it, then give it to the 
 poor, in my name." 
 
 He could not reply, but the tears which fell 
 like the dew from heaven upon her beautiful 
 hand which she held out to him on parting, 
 and which with bowed head, his lips touched 
 reverently, told of the undying gratitude, of his 
 heart. 
 
 CHAPTEE XVIIL 
 
 Upon Gelta's return to the hotel, she found the 
 Grand Duke Demetrius pacing up and down her 
 salon. 
 
 "Pardon my intrusion," he murmured, as he 
 came forward to greet her on her entrance, " but I 
 was told you would soon return and so," he con- 
 tinued, while lovingly holding her little hand " and 
 so, I waited." 
 
 " Oh ! I am so delighted," she said, " to find you 
 here at this moment." 
 
 " Really," he ejaculated with astonished pleas- 
 ure, for she always appeared so reserved in her 
 greetings towards him. But as he looked at her 
 keenly, trying to scrutinize her soul, he saw from 
 the deep fire in her lovely eyes, that she was 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 143 
 
 really glad to see him. In another moment the 
 enraptured Demetrius had seized her in his arms, 
 and was pleading, imploring her, for a kiss. 
 
 " No," she said, gently but firmly, at the same 
 time endeavoring to extricate herself from his 
 arms. 
 
 "Demetrius," she said slowly, but with deter- 
 mination, "you know upon what conditions I 
 made peace with you ; that you must never try to 
 take advantage, by ever kissing, or embracing me, 
 without my permission," — interrupting him as he 
 was about to speak, she continued, " and you gave 
 me your word of honor, that you would abide by 
 our compact, until I should see fit, to alter the 
 same." 
 
 " But," he moaned, " you never will see fit to 
 alter that dreadful, unnatural, condition. "What 
 harm," he insinuatingly urged, " can there be in a 
 tiny kiss ? Angels kiss, old and young people kiss, 
 everybody kisses, and why should not we whose 
 love is so deep, so sincere, so full of fervor, in- 
 dulge in kissing ! Surely you won't refuse to give 
 me a sister's, or a cousin's kiss ! 
 
 " I don't know how," she smilingly interposed, 
 " you see I never had a brother, nor a cousin." 
 
 " Then let me be both," he suddenly pleaded. 
 
 " Oh, no," she jokingly replied, "that would be 
 redoubling the sum." 
 
 " Oh ! how cruel, you are Gelta," he answered 
 in a sad dejected voice, " if you only knew how 
 craving, how starving, my poor heart is for a tiny 
 
144 GELTA : OB, 
 
 kiss ! And yet you remain so fearfully obstinate." 
 
 " That will do," she replied, with a cold, deter- 
 mined expression, and then a moment later she 
 continued with a cooing voice, at the time placing 
 both her little hands in his large palms, " Deme- 
 trius," she slowly said, "I wish to ask you a 
 favor, it is the first favor I have to ask you, will 
 you grant it ? " ■ 
 
 "Oh, ask me for anything you like," replied the 
 enthusiastic lover, " ask me for life itself, only 
 grant me one long, one loving kiss," and he 
 yearningly and tremblingly bent down to steal the 
 coveted prize ! 
 
 " Not now," she said, as she quickly disengaged 
 herself from his embrace, "not now," she re- 
 peated, " but, if you will grant me the favor I am 
 about to ask, then you shall have the kiss, for 
 which your heart craves." 
 
 "Oh, Queen of my soul, tell me quickly," he 
 pleaded, " so that I may earn the prize at once." 
 
 Gelta soon related all the details of poor Isaac 
 Goldstein's unjust incarceration, but after he had 
 heard all, he shook his head seriously, saying — 
 " Ah ! my beloved one ! you cannot imagine how 
 many difficulties arise in setting a man free when 
 he once has entered a Russian prison." 
 
 " Surely you wouldn't find any obstacles if you 
 wished to intercede for this innocent, yet wretched 
 man," she said with surprise. 
 
 " Yes, even I" he answered, " should meet with 
 difficulties, for His Majesty, the Czar is very 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 145 
 
 severe on that point and will not have the acts of 
 his officers called in question." 
 
 " But there is no necessity for that," interposed 
 Gelta, "simply get the man released, and I will 
 see that he leaves for Vienna immediately, and he 
 will never return; if you refuse," she continued 
 with undaunted determination, "I intend to ask 
 an audience of the Czar himself, and plead for 
 this poor helpless, inoffensive being." 
 
 " To see the Czar on such a mission," he ex- 
 claimed, " would be madness, for I grieve to say, 
 though so nearly related to His Highness, he is 
 not progressive in his attitude toward deep rooted 
 prejudices." 
 
 " You are endeavoring to intimidate me," Gelta 
 replied nothing daunted, " but mark you, if you 
 do not intercede, I am still determined, to see the 
 Czar, and if need be, listen to his refusal.' 
 
 " He would not only refuse you," said Demet- 
 rius sadly, "but you would be asked to leave 
 Russia for interfering with the law." 
 
 " Well ! what if I were asked to leave," ex- 
 claimed Gelta with superb dignity, "Russia would 
 be the loser, as for myself, I prefer to be far away 
 from a country, where Justice is obliged to double 
 bandage her eyes, for fear of seeing the shame- 
 lessness, of those who govern her." 
 
 " Calm yourself, my darling," said Demetrius, 
 " I have not refused, have I? " 
 
 "Of course not," said Gelta, smiling at her 
 own impetuosity, and then she archly continued, 
 
146 gelta: ob, 
 
 " if your heart still craves for that oft-asked kiss, 
 you will not fail to get Isaac Goldstein free with- 
 in a week, and now you must leave me, for you 
 know I sing to-night." 
 
 "Oh! yes, in 'Faust/" he said laughingly, as 
 he rose to go, trying to draw her near him while 
 clasping her tiny hands, " I hope soon to claim 
 my kiss, but won't you give me a little foretaste ? " 
 he pleaded. 
 
 " No, and what's more," she replied, " do not 
 call again, until you can bring me good news, of 
 Isaac Goldstein's speedy release." 
 
 As soon as the Duke took his departure, Gelta 
 drove part of the distance, and then quickly 
 wended her way on foot to the Rabbi's house, 
 and handed Hannah, the old faithful housekeeper 
 who answered the door, a large envelope addressed 
 to Rabbi Kantrowitz ; enclosed was another 
 enveloped addressed to Schlomar Goldstein, 
 which contained a photograph of herself, upon 
 which was inscribed, " to the rising young pianist," 
 a hundred roubles and a letter full of hope for 
 the near future. 
 
 That night Schlomar Goldstein set out on foot 
 to steal his way across the frontier, and with his 
 benefactress's kind letter and photograph next his 
 heart he felt a strong hope rise within him, the 
 face of this beautiful daughter of Israel shone 
 upon him like a beautiful light from heaven, and as 
 he thought of her noble and encouraging words, 
 he felt a divine inspiration descend upon him, 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 147 
 
 and then lie remembered how she had asked him 
 to pray, to the Almighty, and so he stopped, with 
 his face turned towards the east, to pray ; and 
 the silver stars shone down upon him with beam- 
 ing hope, and the hot tears that streamed down 
 his pallid cheeks told of the fervor of his prayer, 
 and of the innumerable blessings, which he called 
 down upon the head of his benefactress. 
 
 " Oh ! " he thought, " if I could only once more 
 embrace my dear parents in Vienna, there, be- 
 yond the reach of the Russian oppressor, then I 
 should be happy, then I would do my utmost to 
 become great in the musical world. And who 
 knows, he thought, after I had won my laurels, 
 perhaps she would feel proud of me." And then 
 he crushed the wild thought which seemed to rise 
 within him, for he invested her with the sacred- 
 ness of a saint. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 Two days later Gelta received a telegram from 
 Schlomar Goldstein, informing her of his safe 
 arrival. Meanwhile she had not neglected his 
 poor sick mother, for Gelta had spent the two 
 afternoons with the lonely invalid, and had 
 brought her some good wine and other delicacies; 
 but the most efficacious medicine which she ad- 
 ministered, were words of hope, and comfort, to 
 the sick woman, for, she told her, it only depended 
 
148 gelta: ob, 
 
 on herself, to recover and join her husband and 
 son in Vienna, and the words acted like magic 
 upon the invalid, on the third day she was strong 
 enough to be out of bed, and as the physician 
 thought, the change would do Mrs. Goldstein 
 good, Gelta promised her that if she took good 
 care of herself, that she would be allowed to leave 
 Russia in a few days. And so the poor woman 
 buoyed up with hope and kindness, was able two 
 days later to set out, accompanied by a good 
 strong nurse, for Vienna, where Gelta telegraphed 
 her son to meet her. 
 
 It was indeed a happy meeting, but we will not 
 dwell on the event, but will follow the Grand 
 Duke Demetrius after having left Gelta. 
 
 Demetrius returned home slowly, thinking how 
 he had best act to procure Isaac Goldstein's re- 
 lease, without its reaching the ears of the Czar, 
 for he well knew that the fact of the prisoner be- 
 ing a Jew, left him without claim, to right, or 
 sympathy, in Russia. During the course of the 
 following day he went to all those persons from 
 whom he was most likely to get assistance of 
 securing the prisoner's release, but he met with 
 nothing but obstacles, though under various pre- 
 texts. 
 
 The Chief Director of the Police was not in 
 town, the gendarmes' General had a sudden re- 
 lapse of the gout, the Court of Justice was shut. 
 The afternoon being far advanced, Demetrius de- 
 termined to call on the Governor of the Livona 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 149 
 
 Zamok, the very next morning, for lie was restless 
 and anxious to see Gelta, and he dare not present 
 himself, without some encouraging news, con- 
 cerning Isaac Goldstein. 
 
 Of course, at the time of Isaac Goldstein's ar- 
 rest, it was necessary that some sort of an official 
 inquiry should be made into the case, and as the 
 trumped up proofs were produced of his being 
 the head of a Nihilist band, and that he received 
 money from abroad, to further the cause, his 
 friends did not even dare, by look or word, to 
 intercede in his behalf, lest they too, should be 
 accused as accessories. 
 
 It was night time when poor Isaac Goldstein 
 entered the gloomy cell of Livona Zamok. He 
 was loaded with chains which clanked at his 
 every movement, he felt that his life was done, 
 his heart seemed crushed for he knew too much 
 of Russian administration, to be indifferent, as to 
 what it all meant; he had often heard it whis- 
 pered, that when a prisoner once entered one of 
 these dark cells, he might as well be buried alive, 
 remaining for years without ever hearing a human 
 voice, or seeing the light of day, for no sign from 
 the outer world reaches it, and the horrible silence 
 drives the prisoner slowly mad. The mind rots 
 in the body, as it were. The warders, under 
 heavy penalties are not allowed to speak to a 
 prisoner, nor to answer even the most casual 
 question. 
 
 Poor Isaac was constantly reproaching himself 
 
150 gelta: or, 
 
 for not having delivered the money his son had 
 sent him to the Chief of Police, when he asked 
 for it, and then fleeing with his wife from the ac- 
 cursed Russia on foot. Of course it was too late 
 now to think of what he might have done, for at 
 the time of his arrest, everything was so sudden, 
 that he did not realize the danger which threat- 
 ened him, if he did not satisfy the official's greed! 
 And now he could only sigh, for his eyes had 
 wept, until the tears could flow no longer, and the 
 fountain of his grief had dried before the heat 
 of his agonizing soul, and so for months, and 
 months, he had prayed to the God of Abraham, 
 Isaac and Jacob, to deliver him from this weary 
 battle with mankind. 
 
 One morning Nicholas Ossipovitch, the Gover- 
 nor General of the Livona Zamok, was sitting in 
 his armchair before his writingtable, in his official 
 reception room; he was a hard stern-faced man, 
 with cruelty written large upon his countenance, 
 with its thin drawn lips, and its cold watchful 
 eyes, Nicholas Ossipovitch combined with the 
 purring docile, cringing nature of the courtier, 
 the tiger's ferocity. He had climbed to power 
 by trampling into the dust every one who would 
 have opposed him, for he was pitiless. He was 
 in his own sphere a petty king. As Governor 
 General of the prison, he had a tremendous 
 power in his hands, and he used that power like 
 a tyrant and a despot. 
 
 Ossipovitch had just dismissed his assistant, 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 151 
 
 and was busy with a bill of indictment 
 in a case of murder. Suddenly quick loud 
 steps in the adjoining room were audible, 
 and a voice asked after him. The Secretary 
 had not yet given an answer, before the door was 
 thrown open and Ossipovitch saw the Grand 
 Duke Demetrius standing before him. He started 
 up, and leaned his left hand on the table for sup- 
 port, unable to hide the surprise, which this visit 
 occasioned him, for he thought that some of the 
 outrages, which his lust had perpetrated upon 
 some of the helpless women in the prison, had at 
 last come to the hearing of the Czar. 
 
 The most detestably mean class in Russia are 
 certainly the Government officials! There is no 
 basness too base, no dishonesty too dishonest, no 
 cringing too low, no lie too bare-faced, no time- 
 serving too vile for them. 
 
 When Ossipovitch unexpectedly saw the 
 Grand Duke before him, he managed with 
 suppressed agitation to ask the illustrious in-* 
 truder to what he owed the honor of His High- 
 ness' visit. 
 
 Demetrius, in an easy matter of fact voice, soon 
 made known the object of his call. 
 
 The Governor now straightened his neck- 
 cloth with his right hand and coughed, in order 
 to hide his astonishment! for he thought, if it 
 had been a woman, for whom the Grand Duke 
 took the trouble to intercede, he could quite 
 understand the motive!! but to trouble about 
 
152 OELTA : OR, 
 
 this wretched old man, this dog of a Jew, who 
 did not even possess a daughter! 
 
 However, " Your Highness is aware," he re- 
 marked aloud, " that this Isaac Goldstein is a very 
 dangerous Nihilist ! " 
 
 " I'll answer for his innocence," Demetrius re- 
 plied with a cold dignified bearing. 
 
 The Governor looked amazed ! ! ! 
 
 "Indeed," he muttered, "well this alters the 
 face of the question ; certainly, since it is your 
 Highness's desire, Isaac Goldstein will be released 
 this afternoon." 
 
 " At what time ? " asked Demetrius. 
 
 " Of course there are certain formalities which 
 must be signed," answered Ossipovitch ; "it is 
 now eleven o'clock, but by four this afternoon the 
 prisoner will have been released." 
 
 "Very well," replied Demetrius, "at four 
 o'clock I will send some of his friends to meet 
 him, for he leaves Eussia early to-morrow morn- 
 ing, never to return, and let me impress upon you " 
 he said slowly, " never to mention this affair, if 
 you value your position, for Justice has greatly 
 erred, in this poor man's case ; but I will add, 
 that if you strictly carry out my wishes ; I will 
 know how to further your promotion." 
 
 This last remark of the Duke's was received 
 with all the slavish obsequiousness of which only 
 a Eussian is capable, for at the coveted prize of 
 promotion dangled before his eyes, the austere 
 Governor of the Livona Zamok fell like a dog 
 
THE OZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 153 
 
 before the Grand Duke's feet, kissing them in 
 token of gratitude 
 
 CHAPTEK XX. 
 
 Demetrius drove with lightning speed to Gelta's 
 hotel in order to claim the much yearned for and 
 long delayed kiss. She was at home when he called, 
 and was perfectly delighted with the good news 
 of which he was the bearer, but still she was 
 obdurate to his pleadings. 
 
 "No," she answered, "not yet! I cannot give 
 you the promised kiss, until I feel that poor 
 Isaac Goldstein has safely left the country. 
 Go !" she said coaxingly, " see that his passport 
 and papers are all ready upon his release, and 
 I will at once call on Kabbi Kantrowitz so that 
 lie may go to the prison to welcome his poor 
 friend to his house ; " and then they parted. 
 
 We will pass over how poor Isaac Goldstein 
 fainted for sheer joy, when he was told after a 
 period of eight month's cruel confinement in a 
 dark, lonely cell, that he was that day, to be re- 
 leased from prison, a free man ; and how when he 
 regained his consciousness he found himself in 
 his friend's house with the Eabbi bending over 
 him, administering restoratives, and how he for the 
 first time looked upon the beautiful and heaven 
 inspired face of her, who had taken so earnest an 
 interest in his hopeless incarceration. When he 
 
154 gelta: or, 
 
 was told that his wife and son were eagerly await- 
 ing him in Vienna, his joy knew no bounds. He 
 wept and laughed alternately, and threw himself 
 at his friend's feet, and attempted to do all sorts 
 of extraordinary things to demonstrate the grati- 
 tude which surged up within him, towards those 
 two noble beings who had so befriended him. 
 
 We will pass over too, how the Rabbi deter- 
 mined to keep the release of his friend, and 
 Gelta's intercession for him, a secret, in order to 
 keep a crowd of other afflicted Jews from troub- 
 ling her with their hopeless sorrows. 
 
 The next morning Gelta was in good time at 
 the railway station, where she met the Rabbi with 
 Isaac Goldstein, and his travelling companion. 
 
 The blessings and sobs from the poor grateful 
 traveller, rang in her ears as she hurriedly drove 
 back to the hotel. 
 
 Gelta on her way home had experienced a 
 moment of supreme joy, when she remembered 
 how accidently she had been the means of bring- 
 ing so much happiness and beaming hope into 
 the hearts of that poor despairing family. Oh ! 
 how fervently she thanked God, for having so 
 wonderfully assisted her in her humble efforts. 
 And then she thought of Demetrius, and her 
 heart went out to him in gratitude ; for the first 
 time a moment of pride swept over her for loving 
 him, since he had so nobly assisted her, in this 
 worthy deed, and her poor heart sank with self 
 pity within her, as she sighed : " Ah ! if Demetrius 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 155 
 
 were only a Jew, and unfettered by high sounding 
 titles, then we could live, oh, so happily ; but it 
 is useless to even think yet," she mentally con- 
 cluded, " 1, being a woman, it is my lot, to bear 
 the burden, of the overladen heart, to love, and 
 suffer, in silence." 
 
 Grelta had only returned to the hotel when the 
 Grand Duke Demetrius was announced ; she knew 
 that he had come to claim the fulfillment of her 
 promise. Notwithstanding her disciplined self- 
 control, her intense and high daring spirit, which 
 always secretly sustained her, she was nervous 
 and agitated, but only in her boudoir. When she 
 entered the drawing room to welcome him, she 
 seemed as calm, as if she were going to witness a 
 play. 
 
 They were alone. They looked at each 
 other, their eyes met at the same moment, there 
 was but one mode of satisfactorily terminating 
 their mutual embarrassment, he sprang forward 
 and clasped her in his arms. Ah ! that was a 
 moment of rapture, sweet, thrilling, rapid ! 
 Their souls vaulted over all petty obstacles, 
 their eyes unconsciously met, and upon her lips, 
 her choice and trembling lips, he sealed his in- 
 tense love, and his everlasting devotion. 
 
 It was only a minute since she had entered the 
 room, but during that short time, they had lived 
 an eternity of love ! Not a word had been 
 uttered, for the mighty rush of feeling had dazed 
 them both ; but now he seemed to regain con- 
 
156 gelta: or, 
 
 sciousness, for from his lips a sigh of joy issued, 
 as he pressed her tightly to his bosom, and then 
 he murmured. 
 
 " Ah, my darling, why should we try to hide 
 our intense deep natural feeling ? Why continue 
 to try to deceive one another? Love, is the 
 holiest feeling, which can unite two souls. Oh ! 
 dearest, let us be all in all to each other." 
 
 Gelta looked up, her eyes met his, a wild ex- 
 pression of surprise, fear, delight, played over 
 her countenance, for she in the meeting of his 
 lips, had felt the sweet sting of love. A whirl of 
 images passed before her, but at last she released 
 herself with a quick movement from the hold of 
 the man she loved, and clasping her hands to- 
 gether the thought, " Oh ! if he were only one of 
 my own religion," and then she burst into a sigh 
 so bitter, profound and full of anguish, and sud- 
 denly fled from his sight. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 Nicholas Boroffsky meanwhile continued as 
 deeply as ever engaged in his Nihilistic plots in 
 Paris. He and his confederates had almost per- 
 fected arrangements whereby the Czar and some 
 of the imperial members were to perish, 
 while attending a great ball which was soon 
 to take place, He also had Gelta's movements 
 
THE OZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 157 
 
 watched by his agents, for he really loved her, he 
 knew of the Grand Duke Demetrius's passion for 
 her, and he smiled a cynical smile, at this young 
 man's suffering, for he knew too well the force of 
 character of Gelta, knew that the Jewish instinct 
 was too strong in her, to choose a man other than 
 a Hebrew. His own love for her had grown 
 stronger, since they had last met, for when dis- 
 tance hides the loved object from view, it is then, 
 we conjure up the many dangers with which the 
 idol is surrounded. He felt inwardly grateful to 
 Gelta that she had resisted his solicitations, for 
 he had now two great aims in life, one to give 
 tyranny its death blow, by killing the Czar, and the 
 other through his many kind acts toward the 
 poor Jews, eventually to win Gelta for his wife. 
 
 Mrs. Wilson was one of the many ladies in St. 
 Petersburg with whom Boroffsky constantly cor- 
 responded, and to whom he frequently sent little 
 Parisian knick-knacks, as a silent token of his 
 admiration, for he was too much a man of the 
 world, not to understand, that married women 
 generally, are sensitive and eagerly appreciate 
 the admiration, and presents, of their adorers, as 
 compensation for the neglect of their own hus- 
 bands. 
 
 To Mrs. Wilson's credit, be it said, she never 
 for a moment suspected the instrument she was 
 innocently made, and her mere confidential cor- 
 respondence concerning the inner movements of 
 St. Petersburg society, was of immense value to 
 
158 gelta: or, 
 
 Boroffsky. Gelta, however, from the very day 
 that Mrs. Wilson had mentioned Boroffsky's 
 friendship, suspected, that Mrs. Wilson was in 
 some way implicated, with the Nihilists, and she 
 therefore determined, to keep aloof from her, as 
 much as was consistent, with keeping her from 
 suspecting her real motive. 
 
 Directly after Gelta' s pronounced success, she 
 had accepted a number of invitations to meet 
 Russian society. Like all foreigners she was at 
 first greatly impressed with the general hos- 
 pitality, and kindness of heart, of the Russian 
 families towards strangers, like the French, the 
 Russians would say those pleasant-sounding, 
 meaningless things, on being introduced. 
 
 A dinner party in Russia differed very little in 
 its menu, from the French, but the conversations 
 to an intelligent, and pure-minded person, were 
 very painful, and uninteresting, for, as politics 
 were most dangerous subjects to talk about, con- 
 versation took the form of depicting the latest 
 Parisian gown, or discussing some newly dis- 
 covered flirtation, or paying insincere personal 
 compliments. The overstrained sentiments, the 
 caricatures of affection, the familiarity with vice 
 were the staple of their "feast of reason," and 
 flow of thought. 
 
 Gelta had often silently remarked with as- 
 tonishment, the excessive want of general 
 information among gentlemen ; many of them 
 seemed to know nothing at all, beyond the 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATEICE. 159 
 
 frontier of the Empire ; knowledge was decidedly 
 at a discount. Their showy exterior, their bril- 
 liant accomplishments of music, and dancing, 
 their fluency in speaking so many foreign 
 languages, were apt to strike with surprise, and 
 obtain them credit for possessing, all those solid 
 acquirements, which with other nations are the 
 sine qua-non of a good education. Converse on 
 any scientific subject, would astonish every one, 
 for it soon demonstrated how very little real 
 knowledge they possessed, 
 
 Another peculiar trait in the Russian character 
 which greatly astonished Gelta, was that a 
 Russian, will frequently pretend, an intimate 
 acquaintance with a subject, of which he is per- 
 fectly ignorant, yet so well will he conceal this 
 fact, that he will keep up the deception, for an 
 incredible time ; when all at once he will ask 
 some extraordinarily stupid question, which 
 shows you that he has not understood a single 
 syllable, of all, that has been said. 
 
 The Russian women are very benevolent, and 
 charitable. However the immoral conduct, and 
 the inconceivable want of delicacy of many of 
 the ladies of rank, cannot fail to have a very un- 
 favorable influence, on others below them, 
 especially, as the nobility is regarded as the 
 criterion of what is right ; for they pass their 
 existence in reclining on the sofa smoking 
 cigarettes, and reading some silly low French 
 novel (for it seems the rule with the Censor's 
 
160 gelta: ob, 
 
 office, to let all the books and French novels pass, 
 that are likely to increase the demoralization of 
 the nation, and to exclude all those, that would 
 tend, to its enlightenment), or when in company, 
 they resort to the card-table. To this general 
 rule, there are of course many exceptions ; for 
 Russia possesses many a virtuous, and noble 
 hearted woman, who is an ornament, and a 
 pattern, to her sex. But in speaking of a nation, 
 one takes the majority, and how can it be other- 
 wise, in a country, where so absurd a department 
 exists, as that of Censor! through which all 
 books and papers must pass, before they reach 
 the community. 
 
 The extreme fear of the government, lest the 
 nation should become too enlightened, will some 
 time or other meet with its just reward, and it is 
 to be hoped, that the time is not far distant, for 
 Russia may as well attempt to curb the waves of 
 the Atlantic, as to stem the tide of civilization, in 
 its course round the world. 
 
 To a high minded woman like Gelta, these 
 gatherings of shallow minded beings, was exceed- 
 ingly distasteful, and offering the fatigue, occa- 
 sioned by her evening performance, as an ex- 
 cuse, she managed without offending them, to 
 absent herself from their uninteresting midst. 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 161 
 
 CHAPTEE XXII. 
 
 Nearly a month had passed since Gelta had 
 kept her promise in giving Demetrius his well 
 earned kiss, and then had fled from his presence. 
 Of course he immediately wrote to her imploring 
 her pardon, if he had unconsciously offended her, 
 and many a letter of his followed, in which he 
 brought all his reasoning power to demonstrate 
 the purity of his thoughts towards her. He 
 besought her to consider that angels in heaven 
 gave each other the kiss as an emblem of divine 
 love, that holy pilgrims indulge in kissing their 
 saints, etc. 
 
 What made her relent and forgive his impe- 
 tuosity, was when a couple of weeks later, she 
 received a photograph group containing the now 
 happy faces of Mr. and Mrs. Goldstein and their 
 son, with the inscription written underneath, "to 
 our guardian angel," and a long letter wherein 
 they told her how happy, and comfortable they 
 now lived, united once more, and that they had 
 all three made a solemn vow, to fast a whole day 
 out of each week* during an entire year, and offer 
 constant prayers to God, for her everlasting 
 happiness. Tears of joy streamed down Gelta's 
 face, while reading their very touching senti- 
 ments of gratitude, and as she sat gazing at the 
 group of faces in the photograph, she thought 
 
162 gelta: or, 
 
 how, through God's divine will, and her humble 
 efforts, these three human beings had been 
 snatched from a barbarous death. And with the 
 thought, came the remembrance of how Demetriua 
 had nobl j done his share, and her heart relented, 
 and went out to him in gratitude, and so he was 
 forgiven and allowed to call on condition that 
 the compact of platonic love should be sacredly 
 adhered to, and so the repentant Demetrius 
 managed daily to see as much of his idol, as he 
 possibly could. 
 
 For about a week after Gelta had forgiven him, 
 he was very quiet and reserved, for in her pres- 
 ence he now feared himself, and his love never 
 took the shape of tender expressions, which are 
 the daily bread of human happiness, but as he 
 silently observed that her faith and trust in him 
 grew stronger each day, he became bolder in his 
 expressions against the durability of platonic 
 love. 
 
 It was one afternoon towards the end of March 
 that Gelta on returning from one of her peregrin- 
 ations which she always insisted on making alone, 
 found the devoted Demetrius in her drawing 
 room patiently awaiting her arrival; after due 
 salutations and enquiries, and while sipping 
 some deliciously brewed tea, he began as had 
 been his wont of late, to denounce Platonism. 
 He said that since he found that Gelta did not 
 approve of his theories of angels in heaven who 
 gave each other the kiss as a divine emblem of 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 163 
 
 love, justly reasoning that the angels did not re- 
 quire demonstrative emblems in order to recog- 
 nize divine love, his faith in Platonic love had 
 began to waver. After having that afternoon sat 
 without uttering a word for some time, he sud- 
 denly exclaimed, 
 
 " Gelta, we are unwittingly persuing a delusion! 
 for Platonic loving is a monstrous, unnatural state, 
 it resembles the balancing of a clown, who stands 
 on tiptoe on an ignited bomb shell. The possi- 
 bility of his standing there is granted, but how 
 long can it last ? " 
 
 "Do not disturb my peace of mind," she re- 
 plied, " I am content to pass my existence there. 
 Besides," she continued in a sweet plaintive voice, 
 "if you will recall your memory you will find 
 that it was you who first proposed Platonic love, 
 and pleaded so long with me, to accept its bonds 
 with you. As for myself, before you mentioned 
 it, I was not aware that Platonic love existed, but 
 now that I have accepted its conditions, my char- 
 acteristic Jewish constancy, does not permit me 
 to easily retract, what I have once accepted. 
 However, if as you say, to continue its relation- 
 ship threatens danger for you," she added quickly 
 as at that moment he looked inquiringly into her 
 eyes, "if the danger to you," she repeated, "seems 
 so imminent," then, she slowly added, in measured 
 tones, " we must not meet alone — I cannot allow, 
 your visits to me to continue any longer." He 
 bit his lips, but offered no comment. 
 
164 gelta: ob, 
 
 "What a vast difference," she softly said with a 
 sigh of regret, " there is between a woman's love 
 for a man, and a man's love for a woman. With 
 a woman, when she loves, there is no self-sacri- 
 fice, that she would not gladly undergo, for his 
 sake, in order to raise him in the eyes of God, 
 and the world, to the highest post of honor." 
 
 "I do not understand you," he murmured. 
 
 "I will explain myself more clearly," she an- 
 swered. "I will become personal. If you are 
 really sincere in your wish which you have so 
 often broached to me, that you are willing to for- 
 feit all your titles and wealth, you see I choose 
 for the moment to ignore the difference of reli- 
 gion, which separates us. If," she repeated," you 
 are really sincere in wanting to forfeit your social 
 position, in order that you may be able to lead 
 an obscure life, in some distant country with me, 
 as your wife, I cannot but acknowledge that 
 yours, is a great love, but I will prove to you that 
 my love for you is far greater: inasmuch, as I 
 would never accept, your proffered sacrifice, 
 which would lead you into a selfish aimless life: 
 but on the contrary, I wish my love, to be the in- 
 centive, leading you to perform grand, and noble, 
 deeds; lifting you upon the highest pinnacle of 
 glory, which lies within man's power to attain, in 
 this world." 
 
 " I do not follow your idea," he interposed. 
 
 " Pray do not interrupt me," she replied, " un- 
 til I shall have explained myself more fully." 
 
THE CZAB AND THE CANTATRICE. 165 
 
 With a slow submissive bow of the head he 
 acquiesced and Gelta began. "The man," she 
 said, " who has had the power to penetrate my 
 soul, I look upon as one of nature's greatest 
 noble men ; and I crave the world at large, should 
 know him as such, that his name, should live in 
 loving veneration, in the hearts of humanity, for 
 centuries to come. What are you at present ? " 
 she asked, with a deep sad sigh, " a member of 
 the Imperial family, aye, one of many! in the 
 eyes of most people. You are only another 
 coming despot. Oh! how deeply it pains me, 
 when I think that others cannot see your nobility 
 of heart, and mind, as I do ; when I think that 
 others do not esteem, and love you, as you de- 
 serve, but dearest, the world shall love, and 
 reverence you ! and it will be through your own 
 merit and good deeds ! " 
 
 Meanwhile he sat opposite her with his head 
 resting on his hands and his eyes rivetted on the 
 rug at his feet, each word of hers penetrated his 
 soul, for it was the first time he had heard from 
 her own lips, that she really loved him. He did 
 not move or utter a word, in order not to frighten 
 her and thereby check the flow of her soul. 
 
 "You told me," she continued, growing elo- 
 quent with her thoughts, "you told me," she 
 repeated, "after the release of Isaac Goldstein, 
 that a wave of intense pity swept over your soul 
 in witnessing the wretched lot of the poor per- 
 secuted Jews, and you said you felt grateful to me 
 
166 gelta: or, 
 
 for having aroused, that deep, human feeling, for 
 your fellow sufferers ; of which before, you did 
 not think yourself capable." 
 
 " Yes, caro mio," she murmured as she dropped 
 on the rug at his feet and leaning her beautiful 
 head on his knees in abandon of womanly trust, 
 she repeated, "well, my dearest, let me still 
 further influence you for good, for in the natural 
 course of things sooner or later, you will yourself 
 wield the sceptre over Eussia. Therefore I want 
 you to promise me," she said with impassioned 
 fervor, " when that blessed time arrives, that 
 you will emancipate yourself from the barbarous 
 traditions of your misguided ancestors, that you 
 will spread a new era, filled with kindness and 
 human compassion over the now desolate Eussia. 
 I want you to promise me, that you will grant 
 the full and just right of honored citizenship to 
 the descendents of the unjustly persecuted House 
 of Israel." 
 
 He tenderly but silently pressed her hand as if 
 in sympathetic touch with her own thoughts and 
 feelings, and she continued to express her heart's 
 desire. 
 
 " Look at history," she suddenly said, " review 
 the tens of thousands of great men who were 
 prominent during their time, and who held 
 humanity awe-struck in their tyranneous grip. 
 What," Gelta exclaimed, growing animated 
 and eloquent with her subject. "What are 
 their names to the world now that they are 
 
THE CZAB AND THE CANTATBICE. 167 
 
 no more? Is it a Pharaoh, or a Nero, or a 
 Richelieu, or a Henry the Eighth, at the sound 
 of whose name we now feel a glow of veneration ? 
 No 1 " she continued with a half dreamy faraway 
 look as if gazing at a world beyond the boun- 
 daries of earth from whence she drew her inspi- 
 ration. " No ! their names are as dead, as they 
 are themselves ; vanished from the reverence of 
 the world, vanished from its memory, vanished 
 with their tyrannical deeds deep into the bowels 
 of mother earth. The world cares not for them, 
 seldom recalls that they ever existed, for the 
 world is cold, and therefore, it craves for love, deep, 
 warm, grand, intense love. That is the only 
 thing which can continue forever to rule. Love, 
 is the only thing, which leaves its stamp upon 
 vanishing centuries. Aye," she continued with 
 great enthusiasm, " only one man of humble 
 birth, realized the great secret of love more than 
 eighteen hundred years ago! and that is the 
 reason why humanity worships Him, His name, 
 His every act to-day. Christ lives in the hearts 
 of most men, as if he were in the midsts of their 
 families, and the secret of all this worship is, 
 because he tried to rule with love! Had he 
 adopted a dictatorial attitude of command or 
 compulsion, instead of kind persuasiveness, what 
 would His name be to-day any more than that of 
 a Pilate, a CsBsar or a Titus. His name would 
 have been crowded on the shelf of oblivion with 
 thousands of others ; but instead of that, through 
 
168 gelta: or, 
 
 the simple secret of love, His name stands out 
 boldly, His noble image is engraven on the hearts 
 of humanity, and His memory will continue fresh 
 forever. Then why should you not," she said, 
 looking up pleadingly to the silently absorbed 
 Demetrius, " why should you not follow the noble 
 example set by this great good man, whom you 
 worship as a God. Look at the representation 
 of Him," she exclaimed caressingly taking hold 
 of a little golden cross with a raised Christus on 
 it, which hung as a charm from his heavy watch 
 chain, " look at it! " she repeated, " how wearily 
 He hangs His head, He is so tired, so very tired, 
 of the lip service, with which you fashionable 
 Christians attack Him daily. That was not the 
 creed he craved to disseminate, through the 
 pitiless cold world ! He does not want you to 
 decorate your churches, or house walls, or parade 
 streets, with banners with the Christian emblems 
 on them. No ! it is your proud cold hearts, which 
 He desires you to clothe with human compassion 
 and Christian love. A good deed be it ever so 
 tiny, or emanating from the humblest of beings, 
 is to Him far more than eloquent prayers from 
 the proudest in the land, or the hymns of a crowd 
 of fashionable hypocritical devotees." 
 
 The Count Demetrius who had been sitting for 
 some time silently listening to the eloquent flow 
 of her soul was about to speak, when Gelta with 
 pleading voice, asked him not to interrupt her 
 until she had finished. Then with her clasped 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 169 
 
 hands resting on his right knee, she earnestly 
 looked up into his face, as if she would probe for 
 his very soul, then she continued to pour out the 
 flow of her thoughts. 
 
 " Now dear," she said, " instead of encouraging 
 you to pass a selfish obscure life in some strange 
 distant land, I want you to remain at your post of 
 duty, here in Russia. You must not think of 
 yourself, but of the ninety million souls, whose 
 happiness, and welfare, it will be in your power 
 to advance, that thought alone, ought to make your 
 own individual feelings, shrink into nought, for 
 true happiness consists, in making others happy. 
 
 "The time will arrive when Russia will look to 
 you as its dictator. It is then you will need the 
 strength of character, which I crave to impress 
 upon your noble heart, to break away from the 
 despotism of the past. Let sympathy for the 
 suffering be the sceptre which you will wield ; it 
 is then only, that you will become a true Chris- 
 tian. By nobly putting into practice the divine 
 teachings of Christ, you will serve Judaism ; for 
 true Christianity is merely transposed Judaism, 
 or it is nothing ; both are one, and the same, and 
 mean a pure, and ideal life, to work, to help, to 
 suffer, for the happiness of others." 
 
 "But Gelta, I love you," Demetrius suddenly 
 exclaimed as if awakening from a silent dream, 
 " I love you, with you as an inspiration at my 
 side, I am capable of accomplishing all that you 
 have just depicted, for you are the life of my 
 
170 gelta: or, 
 
 yearning soul, without you, Gelta, I cannot live," 
 and throwing himself on the rug at her feet, from 
 which she had just risen like a frightened bird, 
 at his unexpected outburst, he kissed her hands 
 most passionately. 
 
 " Oh ! Gelta," he murmured as he gently drew 
 her in his arms, " your sublime love for suffering 
 humanity, is so divinely deep, so brimming over 
 with compassion, that it is awe-inspiring. But 
 can you not," he asked in a low, musical voice, 
 "bestow a touch of it on this poor sufferer? I am 
 only human," he pleaded with a sad sigh, "al- 
 though at times I think I was born to conquer 
 nations, but when I am near you I find how weak 
 and helpless I am, for I cannot even conquer my 
 own self," and then he clasped her most tenderly 
 to his bosom. 
 
 " Swear to me," she said, her mind still occu- 
 pied with the thought of Eussia's oppressed 
 souls, "swear to me," she repeated, "that when 
 the time comes for you to govern Russia, that 
 you will inaugurate a Human Era, and that you 
 will love the chosen people of God as you do 
 Jesus Christ, who was a son of the noble House of 
 Israel." 
 
 "I solemnly swear!" he answered, "by my own 
 mother, who next to you is the only woman whose 
 sacred image is engraven on my heart. I swear!" 
 he repeated, "that if ever the time comes when I 
 shall be called to govern Russia, I will encourage 
 Progress and Enlightenment among my subjects, 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 171 
 
 and bring them freedom of thought, and expres- 
 sion I It shall be a reign of merciful justice, and 
 human kindness towards all ! ' 
 
 At his solemnly sworn promise, Gelta impul- 
 sively threw her arms for the first time round his 
 neck, bursting into tears of gratitude, she hid her 
 face upon his breast. He did not disturb this 
 effusion of her suppressed emotions. His throb- 
 bing heart responded to her tumultuous soul! At 
 last, when the strength of ner passionate abandon 
 had somewhat decreased, when the convulsive 
 sobs had subsided into gentle sighs, and ever and 
 anon he felt the pressure of her sweet lips, seal- 
 ing her gratitude and love upon his bosom, she 
 said in a smothered voice: "No matter Demetrius, 
 if I shall be far away, or near you, whether I 
 shall be alive, or not, always remember the 
 solemn promise you have just given." 
 
 " Yes," he whispered, " I will for your sake," 
 and then he pressed her more tenderly to his 
 heart, the rapture within him growing stronger 
 and stronger. " I will do all for your sake," he 
 murmured, " for you are my queen ! the greatest 
 queen, of your beautiful sex." And as he gazed 
 into her superb dark Jewish eyes, lit up with 
 the fire of love, and at her beautiful rosy warm 
 lips he asked hoarsely, 
 
 "May I?" 
 
 " No, no ! " she quickly replied with a tremulous 
 sigh, as she pushed him with downcast eyes 
 gently from her, "Remember," she murmured 
 
172 gelta: or, 
 
 pleadingly, " Tour word of honor, never to insist 
 for a kiss again, unless I take the initiative." 
 
 " Great God," he exclaimed in agitated tones, 
 " My word of honor, how can a man battle 
 against the law of his being, and resist the draw- 
 ing of the magnet? its influence of love? " 
 
 "Well I can resist," Gelta severely replied^ 
 " and that is just the difference between people, 
 who carry their honor and their religion home 
 from church in their prayer book, and others, who 
 simply have honor and religion engraven upon 
 their hearts." That instant Gelta looked so saintly, 
 that he felt a pang of remorse for the warm and 
 trivial words he had uttered. He had no other 
 excuse but that of his frankness. He had but 
 clothe the thoughts of his heart, and as he felt 
 himself becoming overpowered by one absorbing 
 desire — to press her to his bosom, he abruptly 
 quitted her presence, before it should be too late. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 It was the last week in March. The musical 
 season was drawing to an end, another two weeks 
 and the Opera House would close until the 
 autumn. All the foreign singers would then take 
 their departure, leaving many admirers and well- 
 wishers behind. 
 
 Gelta partially welcomed the Jin de saison. She 
 felt instinctively that for some time past, her 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 173 
 
 position toward Demetrius had become harder to 
 bear. Many a time during her prayers, or in the 
 silence of the night, she would reproach herself 
 for having ever listened to his passionate plead- 
 ings, and thereby unconsciously encouraged him ; 
 and at the thought she felt a deep pain in her 
 heart, for she well knew that for a Jewess, to en- 
 courage a love, which cannot be reciprocated, is 
 considered, a mortal sin ; and the remorse cut 
 deep into her soul, and she wept bitterly ; for she 
 felt conscious that notwithstanding all obstacles, 
 she loved him ! and that feeling had taken hold 
 of her, independent of her will. She might hide 
 the deep emotion from others, but it was utterly 
 impossible, to hide it from herself, and when she 
 felt most overwhelmed with grief and remorse, 
 the three faces of the Goldstein family would 
 appear in her mind's eye, like three absolving 
 angels, and she would then quiet her conscience 
 by the fact, that at least three sufferers had 
 derived a benefit from her love, for this noblo 
 hearted Gentile. 
 
 Gelta had determined to see as little of Deme- 
 trius before her departure as was possible to 
 witho at seriously causing him any pain. She felt 
 happy in the promise which she had extracted 
 from him, if he should one day rule Russia, and 
 she knew he would keep his word which he had 
 so solemnly given her. Even if he should never 
 see her again, she believed that he would keep 
 his promise. 
 
174: gelta: or, 
 
 Gelta had promised to attend the Princess 
 Zenaide Stepanovna Starabielsky's ball, which 
 was to take place in her palace, the night after the 
 closing of the Opera season, having received a very 
 pressing invitation from the Princess herself, who 
 also intimated that although it was still a court 
 secret, the Emperor would be there, and that it 
 was an event in one's life to see the Emperor's 
 most gracious attentions to the ladies assembled 
 in a ball-room. 
 
 Gelta had a stronger reason for wishing to meet 
 the Emperor again, they had met on several 
 occasions behind the scenes at the Opera, and 
 once at a reception, but as he was always sur- 
 rounded by a crowd of courtiers, very few words 
 were exchanged between them. But now, before 
 her departure, she intended to ask the Czar, for a 
 personal audience, in order to plead with him on 
 behalf of the poor Russian Jews. 
 
 Mrs. Wilson continued to visit Gelta quite 
 often, but although Gelta always received her 
 English friend most graciously, she never allowed 
 that feminine intimacy to spring up between them, 
 and she never now accepted, any of the many 
 invitations for drives, dinners, etc., which Mrs. 
 Wilson always took such pains to offer her. The 
 fact was, that Gelta in her very heart, suspected 
 Mrs. Wilson of being one of Boroffsky's agents ; 
 and she therefore determined, to keep herself 
 aloof, from their plottings. Since the day when 
 Mrs. Wilson had mentioned her friend's name to 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATEICE. 175 
 
 her, Gelta had never in any of her many chats re- 
 ferred to Boroffsky; and so Mrs. Wilson con- 
 cluded, with true feminine penetration, that he 
 must have desired to be more than a simple ad- 
 mirer of the beautiful American, and that ac- 
 counted for Gelta's distaste of ever mentioning 
 his name, and so there had sprung up a silent 
 understanding, between them, never to mention 
 the man's name with whom they mentally asso- 
 ciated each other. 
 
 It was a week before the Princess Starabielsky's 
 ball was to be given, and it had been decided by 
 Boroffsky, and his faithful followers, that the fatal 
 bomb, which was to transport the Czar and his 
 family into eternity, was to salute his Majesty, as 
 he seated himself on the improvised throne at the 
 head of the ball room. They were sanguine of 
 ultimato success, for the leading professor of 
 chemistry, in St. Petersburg, Yladimir Koretyki 
 whose name and zealous devotedness to the Czar 
 his master, were household words, was one of 
 their chief conspirators, he had also initiated into 
 the cause, one of the Russian belles at court, a 
 sister-in-law of Princess Starabielsky's, who had 
 been married to her husband, Prince de Socoloff 
 for over fifteen years, and who was the bien-aimee 
 for the last three years, of the elegant and witty 
 Yladimir Koretyki; and so the Nihilists were 
 justified in their feverish anticipations, of the 
 blow that was to proclaim, right over might 
 
176 GELTA : OR, 
 
 CHAPTEE XXIV. 
 
 One night while Demetrius was sadly reflecting 
 upon the end of the musical season drawing so 
 near, he was seized with a sudden determination, 
 for he knew that Gelta intended immediately after 
 the closing of the Opera, to return to Paris, and he 
 also felt, that when once there, she would escape 
 him forever ; for he knew that this daughter of 
 Israel, would undergo all the tortures of the 
 flesh, in order not to marry out of her religion, so 
 as not to offend her God. He paced nervously up 
 and down his room, torn by contending emotions. 
 It seemed impossible for him to live apart from 
 her, for the first thought on waking was of Gelta ; 
 amidst all his material occupations, her face was 
 before him; her name rested unspoken on his 
 lips, and at night, the last thought before sleep 
 came to woo him, was of her. The visions in his 
 sleep were of her, and the night belonged to her 
 as much as the day. Each of these various 
 dreams was of love, at times glowing, then des- 
 pairing, at times victorious, then doubtful ; at 
 times so happy that he would awake with pal- 
 pitating heart, and then so sad that he would cry, 
 and sob and bewail the time when he should be 
 doomed to wear a crown, to be dragged down by 
 its weight ; and thereby be separated from the 
 partner of his soul, then worn out by grief, the 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 177 
 
 quiet of the night took up his sighs and sobs and 
 poured them into the mighty ocean of forgetful- 
 ness, where all vanishes, and all is re-born. 
 Awaking, and having for several hours paced up 
 and down his room, he made an awful resolve, he 
 felt that he knew women too well, not to under- 
 stand, that this sweet, pure girl, would never con- 
 sent because of her religious scruples, to become 
 his wife, but, thought he, his face assuming a 
 sterner aspect, as the idea became more fixed in 
 his mind, " if her first stubbornness can be over- 
 come, we shall live happy ever after." And with 
 this determined idea he went to call on Gelta, 
 whom he had not found at home for the last two 
 days. 
 
 When Demetrius was shown into her drawing- 
 room he found her robed in a silver blue crepe de 
 Chine tea gown ; she was busily writing, and had 
 just finished a letter to the Goldstein family, 
 wherein she enclosed several letters of introduc- 
 tion to a number of eminent critics, and one to 
 the Director of the Yienna Opera House, warmly 
 recommending to them the promising young 
 pianist ; for Gelta never tired in her efforts to do 
 good. She rose and welcomed Demetrius with 
 calm composure, but the sudden sparkle of her 
 eyes and the flush on her cheeks, betrayed the 
 secret of her heart. 
 
 A first ray of spring sunshine pierced its way 
 through the golden plush curtains in such a 
 manner that it fell full on Gelta' s face ; she had 
 
178 gelta: or, 
 
 never before appeared so radiantly beautiful to 
 him. He drew a chair up close beside her and 
 taking both her hands in his, gazed into her face 
 long and earnestly. 
 
 "What is troubling you?" she asked, sym- 
 pathetically. 
 
 " Your going to leave Eussia so soon," he an- 
 swered, with a heavy sigh. 
 
 Gelta slowly withdrew her hands and ex- 
 claimed, lightly : 
 
 " Oh, don't think about it, we shall soon meet 
 again." 
 
 " But what is the use of building hopes of soon 
 meeting again," he wistfully replied, "when we 
 are already here ?" 
 
 She mutely stared at him, while her mind was 
 devising how to ask him to leave, without seriously 
 offending him, with a sad dejected mien and with 
 a muffled voice which had a tinge of despair in it 
 he moaned. 
 
 " Ah ! your love, Gelta, is not so deep as mine — 
 it cannot be, for if I thought it were — " 
 
 " If you thought it were," she quietly repeated, 
 "what then?" 
 
 "What then?" he replied with suppressed 
 agitation, " why I would for once put it to the 
 test ! It is this very uncertainty that I fear it will 
 not stand the test, which gnaws at my inward 
 soul ; for my love for you is so intensely deep, 
 that if the test should fail, why, then my heart 
 would burst." 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 179 
 
 " We will defer this topic for another time," 
 Gelfca though trembling with emotion, answered 
 somewhat coldly, at the same time rising as if to 
 quit his presence. 
 
 "Oh! Gelta," he cried imploringly catching 
 hold of her hands as if to force her to listen to 
 him, "Ah ! my precious one, I want you to be 
 near me, do you not understand ! always, always 
 near me," he pleaded with impassioned fervor. 
 
 " But what is the use of desiring for our friend- 
 ship to continue," she interposed, " if we quarrel 
 all the time ? " 
 
 " Oh ! Gelta," he cried helplessly, the tears 
 almost welling up into his eyes, "can you not 
 realize that you are the essence of my yearning 
 soul ? can you not realize that my love for you 
 has grown so intensely deep that it is beyond all 
 reasoning power ? " 
 
 " There, there, I must go now," Gelta answered 
 agitatedly ; as at the same time she tried to re- 
 lease herself from his frantic grasp. " It; is a 
 mortal sin for me to listen to your passionate 
 outbursts; and it is cruel," she continued in a 
 hurried voice, " for you to torture me thus, release 
 me," she exclaimed determinedly. "I must go ! I 
 forbid you to call on me again, if you thus try 
 my patience," she said with firmness, " and I will 
 give orders to that effect." 
 
 " Very well," he replied hotly, " you have sealed 
 your fate," and quickly clasping her in his arms 
 whispered, " you must be mine." Then he kissed 
 
180 gelta: or, 
 
 her again and again ; oh so passionately, as he 
 pressed her more tightly to his bosom. 
 
 " You are cruel," she cried in piteous tones : 
 " let me go, it is a sin thus to embrace me, and I 
 detest you for it ! " 
 
 Then the hatred of being opposed over-mastered 
 him. "You will be mine," he whispered. He 
 seemed to be losing all self-control ; scarlet spots 
 appeared on his pale cheeks ; his grey, deep-set 
 eyes blazed with an unholy fire ; one single feeling 
 burned within him : the indomitable wish to 
 possess her. The man changed into the master; 
 his arms were no longer human, for they encircled 
 her form like bands of iron ; his eyes had a wild 
 glare in them ; her struggles to release herself 
 were futile — for across his face there was only 
 one look — the look of the conqueror. 
 
 Like a flash of lightning Gelta realized her 
 helplessness. " My wit against his strength," she 
 thought ; and with that she uttered half aloud: 
 
 "Look, the princess has entered !" and then in 
 a loud yoice she quickly said, " Good afternoon, 
 princess." 
 
 Taken by surprise he let go his prey, and Gelta 
 darted out of the room crying out " that he must 
 never cross her path again." 
 
THE CZAB AND THE CANTATRICE. 181 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 It was three days before the closing of the 
 Opera House, Gelta had received a number of let- 
 ters from the apparently repentant Demetrius, in 
 which he implored her to grant him one more in- 
 terview before her departure. But she remained 
 firm in her determination not to speak to him 
 again while in Russia, and if possible never to 
 see him again; for she had awakened to the reali- 
 zation that if she pardoned his impulsiveness, 
 she in so doing, became guilty of encouraging a 
 love which could never be completed; and she 
 was too pure a woman, and too good a Jewess, 
 conscientiously to foster a love, which could not 
 be sanctified by man or God ; and so she remained 
 obdurate, and refused both to see him, or receive 
 any of his letters. 
 
 She was now more determined than ever in the 
 resolution which she had formed to attend the 
 Starabielsky ball, with the sole aim of asking the 
 Czar for a private interview, at which she inten- 
 ded to plead in behalf of her persecuted race, so 
 that she might feel satisfied after her departure 
 from Russia, to which she never intended to re- 
 turn, that at least she had done her mite, to 
 intercede for those left behind, whose lot, ap- 
 peared so hopeless; for she felt convinced, that 
 behind that harsh cold, stony mask, which like 
 
182 gelta: or, 
 
 the Egyptian Sphinx covered the Czar's features, 
 there must somewhere, in the inner recesses of 
 his heart, be a good deal of pent-up humanity. 
 Of course during her stay she had on several oc- 
 casions met the Empress and other female mem- 
 bers of the Imperial family, but from several of 
 their remarks expressed upon general topics they 
 had impressed Gelta as being extremely vain; 
 shallow minded and selfish; with their eyes and 
 ears constantly absorbed in attending to their 
 own personal pleasures; and the Empress to all 
 outward appearance was so thoroughly Kussian 
 in her likes, and dislikes, that Gelta viewed her 
 with compassion, for she instinctively felt that 
 the Empress was a good woman, perhaps lacking 
 in depth of sympathetic character, but still a 
 good woman. However Gelta concluded that the 
 Empress of Kussia was perhaps following the 
 dictates of the autocrat, instead of those of her 
 womanly heart, in appearing to be heart and soul 
 in harmony with Russian hates and fanaticisms; 
 for not being a Russian by birth, perhaps she 
 considered it diplomatic, to assume to be more 
 so, by adoption 
 
 In civilized life, where the happiness, and in- 
 deed almost the existence of man depends so 
 much upon the opinion of his fellow man, he is 
 constantly acting a studied part. The bold and 
 peculiar traits of native character are refined away, 
 or softened down, by the leveling influence of 
 what is termed good-breeding; and he practices 
 
THE OZAB AND THE CANTATRICE. 183 
 
 so many petty deceptions, and affects so many 
 generous sentiments for the purpose of popularity, 
 that it is very difficult to distinguish his real, from 
 his artificial character. Of course Gelta's con- 
 ception of what married life ought to be; was that 
 the wife should make it the study of her life to 
 have full influence over her husband; in a quiet 
 subtle manner to develop fully all the good and 
 human traits in her husband's character, and be his 
 ministering angel, constantly to urge him to exer- 
 cise the best of his nature, by always aiming to do 
 what is just, and human, toward his fellow beings. 
 When the wife loves her husband, and recognizes 
 that it must be her duty, to influence him for 
 good, and does her utmost to accomplish that 
 laudable task, then she is really before God and 
 man a legitimate wife; without this love and self- 
 imposed duty, she is nothing more, than a con- 
 cubine. 
 
 Gelta, after having many a time reflected over 
 the matter, concluded, that it was best to go 
 straight to the head, for a favor, without troub- 
 ling any intermediates, and so she determined 
 upon pleading with the Czar, in propria persona 
 for the misunderstood and unjustly persecuted 
 House of Israel. 
 
184 gelta: or, 
 
 CHAPTEE XXVI. 
 
 It was three days before the Starabielsky ball, 
 Gelta had just called upon the Eabbi Kantrowitz 
 to offer what money she could spare towards the 
 poor ; and also to take a last look of compassion 
 at the poor Jews in that Eussian Ghetto, for she 
 did not think that she should have the time to 
 call again before her departure. 
 
 They were sitting in the dimly lit reception 
 room, the Eabbi had just finished giving Gelta a 
 brief account of how he had disposed of her 
 contributions to those, whom he considered most 
 helpless ; and Gelta felt a moment's happiness, as 
 she listened to the many little comforts, bestowed 
 on those, whose lot was so dark. 
 
 "Well, Eabbi," she said, "before I take my 
 leave I should very much like to know what is your 
 candid opinion in regard to the condition of the 
 Eussian Jews ; for you know," she continued, " that 
 there will be a cilmax some day, somewhere." 
 
 " True my child," Eabbi Kantrowitz replied, 
 slowly shaking his patriarchal head, while his 
 figure appeared more imposing ; the far away 
 look in his eyes seemed to pierce through some 
 dark distant cloud, where he saw the bright light 
 of civilization crowned with religion's brightest 
 gem, of love to all beings ! "True my child," he 
 slowly repeated, " there will have to be a climax 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 185 
 
 somewhere ; and that somewhere," he said in a 
 low prophetic voice, " will be right here in Rus- 
 sia ! And that great climax for which civilization 
 is earnestly watching will be brought about by 
 the efforts of the combined government of all the 
 civilized nations ; who will recognize it as their 
 Divine duty to interfere in the name of humanity, 
 and progressive enlightenment ! The foreign gov- 
 ernments," he continued, " are already beginning 
 to recognize their mistake in their dealings with 
 Russia, for you see the American and English 
 governments have already decided not to allow 
 any more of the Russian emigrants to enter their 
 ports ; and quite right they are too, in adopting 
 such strenuous measures ; for what is the use of 
 allowing their respective countries to become 
 filled to over-flowing with these poor penniless 
 aliens. The hospitality is a misdirected kind- 
 ness," continued the Rabbi, growing eloquent 
 with the full knowledge of his subject, " for Rus- 
 sia should be taught, to keep her poor people at 
 home, and allow them to live, in their own mother 
 country in peace! It is a cruelty towards the 
 poor English, and American working people, to 
 allow strangers to snatch the daily bread from 
 their mouths ! It is a cruelty towards the poor 
 Russians, to encourage them to come to a strange 
 land, where not being able to speak the native 
 language, they are compelled to receive in silence 
 all the rebuffs and bitter prejudice constantly 
 heaped upon them in their helpless position." 
 
186 gelta: ob, 
 
 " Oh, good Kabbi," said Gelta with tears glis- 
 tening in her glorious eyes, " how I wish that the 
 nations would join in a crusade for the redemp- 
 tion of the Jew, as they did of old for the redemp- 
 tion of Jerusalem. That would be far more to 
 the glory of Christ, than were the crusades of the 
 Middle Ages, for it would mean, not the rescue 
 of His sepulchre, but of His people. 
 
 " And now, good Eabbi," Gelta resumed after a 
 moment's pause, "I should like to know whether 
 you would care to leave Russia, if through in- 
 fluence your position could be assured, either in 
 London, or in Paris ! " 
 
 "No, my child," he answered with severe 
 dignity; his patriarchal face assuming a stern 
 reproachful expression ; and then hesitating for a 
 moment and letting his stern demoanor relax at 
 her kindly meant offer, he continued. " My child, 
 a Rabbi's duty is to seek out and mingle with 
 those who are most wretched ! In the gay city 
 of Paris or of London the poor can do without 
 my humble services, but here, in Russia, here, 
 where the Czar compels the children of Israel 
 to sit in ashes and sack-cloth ; here, where Israel's 
 forced tears are the blood of its heart, here, must 
 I abide at the side of my sorely stricken people ; 
 until it shall please God to release my soul from 
 this land, where man's inhumanity to man, reigns 
 supreme." 
 
 Gelta felt awed with admiration at the unselfish 
 resignation of this noble-hearted man. She im- 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 187 
 
 pulsively caught both his hands and kissed them 
 with fervid devotion before he had time to with- 
 draw them, then with tears in her eyes she said, 
 " Now, good Kabbi, give me your blessing, for I 
 fear I shall not have time before my departure to 
 call on you again ! 
 
 After complying with her wish, he told her that 
 he would be sure to be at the station before her 
 train would start, and that he would then present 
 her with a small Bible, which he had had in his 
 possession for over fifty years, and which he felt 
 would be a Talisman of continued good luck to 
 her. And so they parted. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 Gelta arose the next morning fresh as a June 
 rose ; the thought that she was so soon to leave 
 Eussia far behind her, with its spying, its lying, its 
 hates, its lusts made her feel almost light-hearted. 
 After a good breakfast, the air being so clear and 
 bracing, she decided to take a long walk. 
 
 Spring, so abrupt in its sudden appearance ; 
 spring, so peculiar on the border of the Neva, so 
 unlike the real spring, had arrived during the 
 preceding night. Snow-flakes still glistened like 
 diamonds on the walls of the houses. The icicles 
 hanging from the roofs were shedding tears over 
 the approaching end of the winter season. 
 
188 gelta: or, 
 
 The inhabitants of Petersburg had hurried out 
 into the streets to enjoy, and welcome, the first 
 rays of spring. The capital presented a character 
 of liveliness and gaiety. Oh! what a heavenly 
 morning it was ! All nature seemed to be alive, 
 and everybody was out — that is — everybody who 
 was anybody. The birds warbled joyfully. The 
 horses' hoofs kept time to the jingling sounds of 
 their silver ornaments. Gelta met many of her 
 acquaintances in the elegantly appointed vehicles, 
 but they did not recognize her, because her face 
 was closely veiled. 
 
 She had been walking for some time towards 
 one of the pretty suburbs, which Mrs. Wilson had 
 taken her to one day, months ago, when she had 
 first arrived. Even then, she remembered that 
 with the dreary dullness of the beginning of 
 winter hovering over it, it was a lovely quiet spot ; 
 and Gelta in order to escape the crowds which 
 thronged the principal streets, had decided to see 
 this beautiful suburb once again ; clothed in 
 nature's first spring gown. She had now turned 
 into one of the quieter streets, and as she felt 
 somewhat overheated from her quick walking, she 
 took off her veil, to enjoy the first spring breezes 
 more keenly. 
 
 She had been walking for some time, silently 
 thinking of those poor wretched beings, who 
 through some official's extortion and greed, lust 
 or hatred, were now immured alive in vile cells, 
 cut off from the fresh air and sunshine sent by 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE 189 
 
 God ; and she kept walking and thinking, and 
 thinking, and walking, and her heart became once 
 more sad, and as she glanced at the fashionable 
 dwellings, she thought, of how much pent up 
 misery, and crime even they contained, and a 
 prayer issued forth from her heart to God, that 
 He should look down upon the innocent and per- 
 secuted beings, whom He had formed after His 
 own divine image, and come to their rescue. 
 Then she thought of the Starabielsky ball, which 
 was to take place the day after the morrow, and 
 at which it was rumored, the Czar would attend, 
 and she began dreaming of her grand project ; to 
 ask an audience of His Majesty. She had by this 
 time almost reached the suburb, when she was 
 interrupted in her reverie by, " Good morning, 
 Mademoiselle Dechon." 
 
 A spirited glossy bay with golden harness 
 flashing in the sunlight, dashed up alongside. 
 The Emperor had detached himself from his 
 suite. 
 
 " Good morning, your Majesty," answered Gelta, 
 pleasantly confused, for he had just been upper- 
 most in her thoughts, and now as she looked up 
 to see him there, in propria persona; she imagined 
 it was all a dream. 
 
 The oxygen in the air on this special morning 
 seemed to brace up everybody and put them in 
 the best of spirits. 
 
 " It is rather early for your Majesty to be out " 
 Gelta said after the first greetings, by way of 
 
190 gelta: oe, 
 
 opening the conversation, for she felt that this was 
 an occasion which fate had thrown in her way to 
 ask for an audience. 
 
 "Yes, the air does me good," he replied, and 
 then he gallantly resumed, " I think I am very 
 fortunate in encountering this beautiful Ameri- 
 can blossom, for you are looking as sweet as a 
 rose." 
 
 Gelta acknowledged the compliment, bowing 
 low with drooping eyes and blushing cheeks ; and 
 then he added with a smile. 
 
 "Where was our pretty nightingale going to at 
 such a rapid speed? To some fortunate lover I'll 
 vow," and then he asked good naturedly : 
 
 " Come, tell me ; who is this lucky mortal ?" 
 
 " I assure your Majesty that I was not thinking 
 of any man, excepting your imperial self," Gelta 
 replied, full of embarrassment. 
 
 He looked at her with mingled surprise, and 
 good humor. 
 
 " Yes," she falteringly resumed, " I have been 
 thinking of asking your Majesty to grant me a 
 private audience, before my departure next week." 
 
 " Indeed !" he interposed, then adding, " I see 
 you are out for a stroll !" 
 
 "Yes, your Majesty," Gelta answered; then 
 after a moment's pause had ensued, he said : 
 
 " In a very short time," indicating with his 
 right hand some distant object, " I will join you 
 upon that little bridge yonder." 
 
 Gelta murmured her thanks. Then the dashing 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 191 
 
 cavalier, followed by Lis suite, flew along the de- 
 serted road and was soon out of sight. 
 
 Gelta stood transfixed, gazing after him ; a sea of 
 thoughts whirled through her brain. " Ah !" she 
 sighed, " if I could but get him to look kindly 
 upon God's chosen people, yes," she murmured 
 half audibly, " if I could but get him to do what 
 is right! If I could but instill him with the 
 courage to emancipate himself from the barbarous 
 traditions of his ancestors, I would, O, God! 
 most willingly offer my life as a sacrifice this very 
 moment, that my innocent blood should save the 
 children of Israel." Then with a sigh of overbur- 
 dened suspense she turned into the long lane, 
 which led towards the bridge. 
 
 The first few larks had already made their ap- 
 pearance, the little sparrows and bristling chaf- 
 finches were chirping and hopping along the bud- 
 ding branches, the lane was filled with the deli- 
 cious perfume of the huge pine trees which bor- 
 dered both sides of the walk. A new world 
 suddenly began to stir, and to move, in the fresh 
 verdure of the bushes, in the thickness of the 
 grass, in the soft, spring air, and as Gelta walked 
 along she heard sounds and murmurings every- 
 where, as if a new, mysterious life was waking 
 up. All nature seemed to be alive, a large, 
 yellow butterfly darted forward and struck against 
 a branch and made it sway, a tiny, little sparrow 
 peeped from its hiding-place to see to whom the 
 budding branch was bowing, a big blue-bottle 
 
192 gelta: or, 
 
 was dancing a waltz in the sunshine, two tiny 
 sparrows on an upper branch were nestling closer 
 to each other, as they watched the poetical move- 
 ments of a couple of loving chaffinches on a 
 neighboring tree. 
 
 Gelta, with a far-away look in her eyes, lightly 
 walked to the accompaniment of Nature's music, 
 at last she paused. It was the spot which the 
 Czar had indicated. The little bridge spanned a 
 silver stream, fringed along the shore with weep- 
 ing willows. Just beyond, at the back, loomed 
 up majestically immense and lordly elms. "I 
 must have a drink of that water " Gelta said, as 
 she leaned against the side of the bridge, mirrow- 
 ing herself in the silver stream ; and suiting the 
 action to the word, she ran down the embank- 
 ment, dipping her beautiful small white hands 
 into the crystal brook. She drank several times 
 of Nature's most refreshing beverage ; then 
 she stretched herself upon the soft, fresh grass, 
 and surveyed the magnificence of Dame Na- 
 ture. 
 
 " I declare," she mentally said, " to people in- 
 clined to be romantic, this spot, is a perfect sylvan 
 retreat!" And the very next moment she re- 
 proached herself for the trivial thought which 
 had just flashed through her mind. "No," she 
 murmured almost aloud, " it is selfish, and wrong, 
 to think of happiness when so many of our 
 innocent fellow-beings are buried alive in prison 
 cells." 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 193 
 
 After lingering half an hour she rose and turned 
 to see whether she could discover the tall ma- 
 jestic figure of the Czar, amid the many elm trees ; 
 when directly in her pathway, not ten rods away 
 from her, with his arms folded across his chest, 
 stood the Czar, as if contemplating the American 
 nymph, basking in the Russian sunshine on this 
 most glorious morning. 
 
 Gelta, when she suddenly saw the Czar, did not 
 start with surprise, nor hesitate, but walked 
 directly forward ; and as she approached with a 
 low bow, and pleased but confused expression 
 said: 
 
 "I am very glad to have the honor of meeting 
 your Majesty for the second time this morning." 
 
 He extended his hand, which she cordially be- 
 gan shaking in good old American style. Then, 
 suddenly remembering that she was there to 
 plead for her people, and that she might anger 
 him by her American equality, she bent down and 
 reverently imprinted a kiss on his extended hand. 
 
 A perceptible smile passed over the hard 
 sphynx-like features of the Czar, which for the 
 moment almost rendered them effeminate in their 
 sweetness of expression as he said: 
 
 "I thought I should prefer a stroll in the coun- 
 try this lovely spring morning to riding," and 
 then he gallantly added, "the pleasure is doubled 
 by your enchanting presence here." 
 
 Gelta glanced up with maidenly modesty as 
 she answered ; 
 
194 gelta: ok, 
 
 "I sincerely hope that your Majesty will still 
 think my presence here enchanting, after I shall 
 have explained the object of my interview." 
 
 He gazed at her in silence with a deep penetra- 
 ting look of enquiry, as if he would read her very 
 soul, so that Gelta actually felt embarrassed; and 
 there they stood facing each other for fully a mo- 
 ment without uttering a word. 
 
 " O God ! " she silently prayed, " help me to ac- 
 complish the great task that I have set myself to 
 do ; so that my misunderstood people, the whole 
 race of Israel, shall be able once more to regain 
 their right and high standing before the civilized 
 world, which is their just due by heritage and 
 religious birth. O God ! help me to lift the veil 
 of error from this misguided monarch's eyes, as 
 did our good Queen Esther, hundreds of years 
 ago, when she so successfully pleaded for Israel's 
 rights before Ahasuerus." 
 
 As the Czar silently contemplated Gelta in her 
 tight-fitting Parisian jacket, displaying to perfec- 
 tion, her superbly moulded figure, which he knew 
 was perfect from his sight of her in the different 
 roles which she had played, he mused, " This is a 
 specimen of superb womanhood, of which any 
 country may well feel proud," and with a sweet 
 smile, and using a much softer tone than Gelta 
 thought him capable of, he said : 
 
 "What is it, Mademoiselle, that you wish to 
 ask me?" 
 
 Gelta glanced up into the Czar's eyes and 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 195 
 
 through her embarrassment managed to stammer 
 out, 
 
 " 0, Sire, I come to plead to you on behalf of 
 my poor and unjustly persecuted, and misunder- 
 stood people, that your Majesty through his 
 human heart, would treat them with a more 
 Christian leniency, as an example to the coarse 
 brutal officers, who extort from them, their little 
 money, and deprive them daily of the very 
 necessaries of life, and who, when they find the 
 least opposition to their rapacious greed, not 
 only demand more money, but torture them, and 
 cast them into some vile prison, ' in the name of 
 the Czar'." 
 
 During the delivery of this speech the Em- 
 peror's face underwent a sudden change. The 
 sweet smile vanished, and in its place a harsh 
 forbidding expression covered it like a mask. It 
 was the cold stony look of the passionless Sphinx. 
 
 As Gelta saw the Czar's face change, her heart 
 sank within her, and hope for mercy from him 
 died away. 
 
 "What religion," he slowly asked eyeing her 
 intently, " do you belong to ? " 
 
 A fresh accession of strength and resolution 
 came to her as she proudly answered, 
 
 " I belong to the longest lived and most human 
 of all religions, one of the most ancient of houses, 
 which numbers among its descendants, such 
 noble men as Abraham, Moses, Christ, and others, 
 whom God saw fit to make His Divine servants, 
 
196 gelta: or, 
 
 for I am a proud daughter of Israel," and as he 
 stood eyeing her without speaking, she continued : 
 
 "O greatness, O Emperor of all the Russias — 
 if you would lay aside petty hates and govern 
 your people with the kindness of your heart, how 
 much greater as an Emperor, and as a man, you 
 would be before God, and the world." 
 
 She had grown eloquent, and looked beautiful 
 in her passionate pleadings ; but he, who stood be- 
 fore her, dressed in brief authority, was a fanatic. 
 
 She stood almost breathless, hanging expectant- 
 ly on what he would answer ; her dark glowing 
 eyes filled with a yearning for pity from him to- 
 wards Israeli unjustly persecuted children. 
 
 The Czar stared at her for some moments; then 
 with a sneer he asked : " Isthat allyou have to say?" 
 
 "Oh, no," she replied, "great Czar, I appeal to 
 you in the name of the All merciful God, to show 
 the kind and benevolent side of your nature toward 
 Israel, so that the officers of your kingdom may 
 follow your Highness' just and humane example." 
 
 "Woman I" he began with icy tones, "you are 
 either mad, or a fool, to plead to me for those 
 whose very name I abominate!" 
 
 "O Lord of Hosts!" Gelta silently murmured, 
 overcome with agitation. 
 
 "So!" he inquired derisively, "you are a Jew?" 
 
 "A Jew, yes!" she haughtily replied. "For 'tis 
 the Jew's strength that in his essence he alone 
 among men is changeless. Empires crumble into 
 ruin, and the Jew survives them all. Civiliza- 
 tions flourish, and are dissipated like dust on the 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 197 
 
 wind ; and the Jew puts them on as a garment, to 
 shed them when they are outworn, and to show as 
 little trace of passage through them as a man 
 shows of his last year's doublet and hose. To the 
 world, the Jew has ever stood for the Genius of 
 Profit; to himself he has ever been an incarnation 
 of Destiny and Law. In point of fact, the Jew is 
 both; and his divine intuition of himself enables 
 him to endure the hatred of the ignorant of to-day 
 with the same inarrogant yet absolute patience 
 which he showed in medieval times. For it is 
 the will of God that the history of the world shall 
 flow pure and distinct through Israel." 
 
 "And so you have acknowledged yourself a 
 Jewess?" 
 
 "Acknowledged! it is the only thing I feel 
 proud of," she answered with dignity. 
 
 ■* — And as you have acknowledged the fact," he 
 continued, not taking note of her interruption, 
 "I would advise you to leave Russia as soon as 
 it is convenient." 
 
 " One word," she said with superb dignity as lie 
 was about to go, "your Majesty anticipates my 
 wishes, in two days I leave these dominions, but 
 I had indulged in the hope, of not taking my de- 
 parture, until I had pleaded for Israel's rights to 
 the Czar of all the Russias, and thereby, touched 
 some tender cord in that heart of steel, but it is 
 evident that mercy is not in your Majesty, and I 
 only pity you for professing religion with youv 
 tongue, while in your heart you nurture hate, but 
 in heaven's good time the wrong shall be righted, 
 
198 GELTA : OR, 
 
 and mayhap your eyes will then be opened, to 
 your great errors. I will bid your Majesty good 
 morning," she said with queenly composure, and 
 started towards the city. 
 
 "I believe," mused the Czar as he watched her 
 lithe form disappear among the trees, "I believe 
 that she has more fire in her than any other wo- 
 man that I have ever met. What a pity," he 
 mused, as he wended his way back to the palace, 
 "that she is a Jewess, and endowed with that in- 
 dominable racial pride, which no amount of tor- 
 „ turing can eradicate. How she did plead for the 
 Jews ! But there, I cannot allow so trivial a mat- 
 ter to engross my thoughts," and with this con- 
 clusion he dismissed from his mind, the plead- 
 ings for justice, which Israel's noble daughter had 
 attempted. 
 
 CHAPTEK XXVIII. 
 
 It was the morning of the evening that Princess 
 Zenaide Stepanora Starabielsky's ball was to take 
 place and St. Petersburg's elite were greatly ex- 
 cited with pleasurable anticipation. 
 
 Mothers who had gone to enormous expense to 
 bedeck in fineries their ugly daughters, that they 
 should appear more pleasing in the exciting exer- 
 cise of angling for some rich old man for a hus- 
 band; married women and passees widows, who 
 had made up their minds to captivate some new 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 199 
 
 gallant; Don Juan's who expected to ensnare 
 some of the budding fair ones ; and the old folks 
 who delighted in discovering new scandals, and 
 vivisecting them to their heart's content; were 
 each, and all, eager, for the eventful evening to 
 arrive. 
 
 Demetrius had not had an opportunity of 
 speaking to Gelta for over a week ; ever since she 
 indignantly requested him never to cross her path 
 again ; and his many letters to her had been re- 
 turned unopened. He was not allowed to visit 
 her, and in fact, Gelta had in every way shunned 
 him, which left no doubt as to her final determi- 
 nation, never to speak to him again. Therefore 
 with the Russian hatred of being opposed, 
 Demetrius had mentally vowed two days before 
 the ball, that Gelta should not escape him. 
 
 It was an awful determination ; but Demetrius 
 was resolute in the project he had suddenly 
 formed. He knew that Gelta was to attend the 
 Starabielsky ball, chaperoned by the Dowager 
 Duchess Olga Dolgorouki; so he took into his 
 confidence the Dowager's young nephew Yolodia 
 Yaroslof, who was to escort them to and from 
 their carriage. 
 
 In Yalagen, one of the numerous islands in the 
 vicinity of St. Petersburg, Demetrius owned a 
 pretty little country house built like a Turkish 
 Kiosk, its interior fantastically frescoed and 
 decorated, with Goddesses and water nymphs. 
 
 Here at times he was in the habit of stealing 
 
200 gelta: or, 
 
 away from the constant buzz of Court life, to 
 enjoy a quiet week in his little hermitage, attended 
 only by his valet, and a man cook. 
 
 It was in this little nest that Demetrius' project 
 was to be consummated. He had arranged with 
 young Yaroslof that, at the end of the evening 
 when the guests were departing, Yoladia Yaroslof 
 should escort Gelta back alone to his aunt's car- 
 riage, and then place her in another, which would 
 be in readiness, while he left her to fetch his 
 aunt. Gelta, having entered the carriage, was 
 immediately to be dazed by the inhalation of 
 some powerful anesthetic ; and in this comatose 
 state transported to the Turkish Temple, on the 
 island of Yalagen ; where a priest was in readi- 
 ness; and Gelta was the next morning to wake 
 up as the wife of the Grand Duke Demetrius. 
 
 "With this little plot in perspective, Demetrius 
 did not force his person into Gelta's presence, 
 but, on the contrary had apparently shown an 
 unwonted submission, to her expressed wish, and 
 Gelta felt relieved, and grateful to him, for his 
 considerate conduct in remaining away. 
 
 A few days before Gelta had so unexpectedly 
 met the Czar, an interview that had terminated in 
 such disappointment to Gelta — for she had 
 nourished the hope that the Emperor was an 
 intelligent, and liberal minded man, and now she 
 had found him only a bigoted fanatic. It was a 
 few days prior to this disheartening conviction, 
 that Mrs. Wilson in one of her visits, was allowed 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATKICE. 201 
 
 with feminine curiosity to see the beautiful 
 toilette that Gelta intended to wear at the 
 Starabielsky ball. 
 
 The English lady went into ecstascy over the 
 exquisite French creation ; and accordingly on 
 her return home, wrote to her confidant Count 
 Boroffsky in the most enthusiastic manner, con- 
 cerning the long expected ball, and also described 
 the exquisite beauty of the dress, which Gelta 
 was to wear. 
 
 After Gelta reached her hotel the morning she 
 had attempted to plead with the Czar for her per- 
 secuted people, she threw herself on the couch 
 and indulged in a hearty cry, as if to mourn an- 
 other lost hope. Then after awhile she rose, 
 calm and determined to leave Kussia as quickly 
 as she conveniently could. She was about to 
 write a note to the Princess Starabielsky, inform- 
 ing her that she would not attend the ball, but 
 pondered, not knowing what excuse she could 
 offer, to decline the Duchess Dolgorouki's chape- 
 ronage, and after some mental debate she finally 
 concluded, not to refuse by writing, but to feign 
 a sudden illness, at the very last moment, as a 
 plausible excuse for not attending. 
 
 One bright morning on the 3rd of April, in his 
 pretty pavillion situated near the Champs Elysee, 
 Count Boroffsky, with an open letter in his hand 
 was frantically pacing up and down his study. It 
 was Mrs. Wilson's last letter from which for the 
 first time he heard of Gelta's intention of goingj 
 
gelta: or, 
 
 to the Starabielsky ball. Of course he had been 
 so constantly occupied of late with the great 
 blow that was so soon to annihilate the Imperial 
 family ; that certain little outside details escaped 
 his attention, but now, with that letter, giving 
 him a full account of the dress that Gelta was to 
 wear, she! the only woman who had entered his 
 bachelor heart ; now, when he realized the danger 
 she was about to encounter, he felt as if he could 
 dash his head against the wall in order to rescue 
 her from her peril. 
 
 " Something must be done," he murmured agi- 
 tatedly after the first few moments of confusion 
 had elapsed; and then he stopped short in the 
 middle of the room, as he mentally decided to 
 save her, even at the cost of their secret ; " for 
 after all," he mused, "she is a Jewess; her sym- 
 pathies are with the oppressed — and not with 
 the accursed oppressor. Therefore she will not 
 betray us ; " and then he mentally continued, a 
 pleased smile suffusing his countenance, " it will 
 only be another proof, to her, of my eternal love 
 and devotion, and who knows, perhaps on her 
 return she will reward my constancy." 
 
 Boroffsky immediately went out and dispatched 
 several cypher telegrams to Father Paulus, a well 
 known and highly respected priest in St. Peters- 
 burg and one of Boroffsky's chief conspirators. 
 
 A.bout two o'clock in the afternoon, on the day 
 of the great ball, a priest, Father Paulus, asked 
 to see Mademoiselle Dechon. Gelta gave orders 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 203 
 
 to admit the priest, and when he was announced 
 she came into the drawing room to receive him. 
 
 " To what, good Father, do I owe the honor of 
 your visit ? " she asked with a gracious smile, 
 while she mentally concluded that he had come 
 to ask for a sum of money towards some charitable 
 purpose. 
 
 Father Paulus glanced about the room in a 
 most mysterious manner, as if to make sure that 
 they were quite alone, and wanting to feel doubly 
 positive upon that matter he said, that he had a 
 most important message to deliver to herself in 
 private. 
 
 Gelta eyed her visitor for a moment in silence, 
 for it suddenly occurred to her that this good 
 man had come to intercede with her on Demetrius' 
 behalf. After a moment of mutual observation, 
 Gelta invited the priest to be seated, meantime 
 assuring him that they were alone, and that he 
 ran no risk of being overheard. Father Paulus, 
 after having moved his chair closer to hers, bent 
 his head towards her ear, and in a low whisper 
 said, 
 
 "I want your solemn word of honor that you 
 will not mention to a living being, that, which 
 I am about to tell you." 
 
 Gelta simply replied, " Good Father, you may 
 trust me." 
 
 The priest bowed as if perfectly satisfied with 
 her answer, and then without more ado and i i a 
 low voice he abruptly asked, 
 
204 gelta: or, 
 
 " Are you going to attend the Starabielsky ball 
 to-night ?" 
 
 This sudden and unexpected question greatly 
 surprised Gelta, for it almost as suddenly dawned 
 upon her that this priest had been sent by the 
 Czar himself, to request her not to attend the 
 ball, she thought it prudent not to commit 
 herself, until she had thoroughly sifted the object 
 of this extraordinary question; so she simply 
 replied, inquiringl) 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 "Why," he repeated, "because I have been 
 sent by a mutual friend to warn you, as you value 
 your life, not to go to the ball to-night." 
 
 "And who is this extraordinary friend, who 
 takes such a deep interest in my life?" she 
 asked. 
 
 "I am not at liberty to divulge his name," 
 Father Paulus replied. 
 
 "Very well," Gelta answered, with quick 
 decision, rising at the same time to show her 
 visitor that the conversation need not continue, 
 " Very well," she repeated with severe dignity, 
 " I am not to be intimidated by such a mysterious 
 message, and unless you can give me the sender's 
 name and reasons, I will most certainly be at the 
 Starabielsky ball to-night." 
 
 Father Paulus, after a moment's silent deliber- 
 ation, looked at his watch, and then remarked, 
 
 "It is now 3 o'clock; it will be a good four 
 hours before I can consult, and receive permis- 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 205 
 
 sion, to give you the name of the friend, who 
 values your life so much." 
 
 "Very well," Gelta replied, "the ball begins at 
 10 o'clock, if before 8 o'clock this evening you do 
 not bring me the required information, I will 
 most certainly attend the ball to-night." 
 . "About eight o'clock this evening I will be 
 here," Father Paulus replied, and at once took 
 his leave. 
 
 Gelta stood motionless for some time in the 
 middle of the room after the priest had gone, as 
 if she had been petrified to the spot. Her brain 
 was in a whirl of excitement. Of course for the 
 last three days ever since her interview with the 
 Czar, she had determined not to go to the ball, 
 and now, she was more determined than ever not 
 to go. 
 
 "But," she mused, "what if I did go to the ball, 
 how comes it that my life should be endangered? 
 Thank God, I am an American, and the Eussian 
 Emperor would not dare, to imprison me, an Am- 
 erican subject without cause." And then an in* 
 ward voice answered her, that Kussia's fanatic 
 ruler, would dare anything. 
 
 It was five o'clock when Count Boroffsky re- 
 ceived Father Paulus' cypher telegram, which ran 
 thus : "Determined to attend unless she knows name 
 and reasons. 11 
 
 After a half hour's mental torture, Count Bor- 
 offsky wired back, " tell her all, she must not go." 
 
 It was a few minutes past nine o'clock when 
 
206 
 
 Father Paulus entered Gelta's drawing room to 
 entrust her with their secret plan. 
 
 Meanwhile, in the Starabielsky Palace another 
 scene was being enacted. As pre-arranged with 
 her lover Vladimir Koretyki the Princess de So- 
 coloff dressed in her sister-in-law's house, so as 
 to help the Princess Starabielsky to superintend 
 the final little details. 
 
 Andrei Petrovitch a faithful follower of the 
 Nihilists, whom the Princess de Socoloff had per- 
 suaded her husband several months before to en- 
 gage as assistant butler, so that she might be in 
 nearer contact with the Nihilist's conspirator, 
 was with the other servants of the Socoloff house- 
 hold to assist in waiting on the Starabielsky 
 guests. 
 
 It was nine o'clock when Andrei Petrovitch 
 entered his mistress' dressing-room, and after 
 waiting while his mistress dismissed her maid, 
 he assured the Princess de Socoloff that he had 
 just placed the little green tin box containing the 
 fatal clock in the pot containing the creeping 
 plant, which clustered around the bottom of the 
 Corinthian column, and which formed the back- 
 ground of the dais that had been improvised as 
 the Eoyal Throne. 
 
 "You are positive," the Princess asked with 
 suppressed nervousness, " that it is set for half- 
 past twelve? for you know the Czar is due at 
 half-past eleven o'clock ; but as a Court secret it 
 is known that he always arrives late ; so that he 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 207 
 
 most probably will appear here at about twelve 
 o'clock, which would be ample time ; but you are 
 quite sure?" the Princess repeated, "that it is set 
 for half-past twelve ? ' 
 
 " Quite sure, your Highness," answered Petro- 
 vitch. 
 
 "And you hid the box well beneath the creep- 
 ing plant ? " asked the Princess with suppressed 
 agitation. 
 
 " You need have no fear on that account, for 
 you well know while arranging the different 
 plants this afternoon I transposed most of the 
 earth into another box; besides, it is placed so 
 perfectly in full view of everybody, that no one 
 will ever think, of associating the least suspicion 
 with its contents." 
 
 " Tour sister is to call for me here at a quarter 
 past eleven ? " 
 
 " Yes, your Highness," answered Andrei with a 
 suppressed grin. 
 
 "Very well, I will myself presently descend 
 into the ball room, so as to assure myself that 
 everything is in order, for you know," she said al- 
 most hoarsely, "this time there must be no failure, 
 you understand?" 
 
 He nodded assent and then with a gesture she 
 dismisssed him. 
 
 It had been arranged that Josha, Andrei's sister 
 should call for the Princess de Socoloff with the 
 news that the Princess' only child, a little girl 
 of about four years old, was suddenly seized with 
 
208 gelta: ob, 
 
 convulsions, and was on the verge of death. This 
 subterfuge was to enable the Princess to leave 
 the Starabielsky Palace, dressed in her elegant 
 ball toilette, just as she was about to mingle with 
 the guests, without exciting the least suspicion. 
 
 Of course it was only the life of the Czar and 
 his family that was aimed at, and as the blow 
 was to be struck in her brother's house, without 
 he, or his family, having the least suspicion, of 
 the deeply, and daring conspirators' plans, the 
 Princess stipulated that as few lives as possible 
 should be sacrificed, and that only one clock 
 need be secreted in the Palace, and that should 
 be placed as nearly as possible to the improvised 
 throne. 
 
 It was a few minutes before ten o'clock when 
 the Princess Starabielsky entered the ball room 
 with her sister-in-law, in order to take a final 
 look, at its magnificent ensemble before the ar- 
 rival of the first guests. 
 
 Both the ladies as they entered the spacious 
 room, gave an exclamation of surprised delight, 
 when they saw the many brilliantly lit chande- 
 liers reflected in the waxed and highly polished 
 floor ; the flood of light blended beautifully with 
 the rich tones of the gorgeous tapestries, and 
 velvet hangings, which ornamented the walls, and 
 between which were a number of mirrors of pro- 
 digious size ; masterpieces of Russian art, statues 
 from Rome, and Florence, embellished by huge 
 palms, were placed in the corners of the room. 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 209 
 
 and surrounded by a parterre of shrubs and green 
 plants, planted in pots and boxes. 
 
 The dais on which stood the improvised throne, 
 was covered with a rich Aubusson carpet; the 
 Corinthian column, a few feet distant, was to the 
 right of the Imperial Chair. 
 
 The Princess Starabielsky with her sister-in- 
 law standing by her side, had just finished re- 
 arranging some of the drapery, which formed the 
 back ground of the dais, when her eye was at- 
 tracted to the creeping plant at the base of the 
 column, some of whose stems were drooping and 
 looked as if they needed support. The Princess 
 Starabielsky moved towards the plant, and bent 
 down to remedy the defect, the Princess de Soco- 
 loff but a few paces away turned ghastly pale, as 
 she watched her sister-in-law bend over the fatal 
 box. Like lightning it flashed through her mind 
 that she must divert the Princess Starabielsky's 
 attention, or she would discover all, and their 
 plans would after all be defeated; so mastering 
 her fearful agitation she exclaimed : 
 
 "Look ! "Vera! that face peeping in at the other 
 end!" 
 
 " What face ? " asked her sister-in-law, looking 
 up. 
 
 " I don't know whose face it is," answered the 
 Princess de Socoloff, " only it had such a myster- 
 ious way of popping in its head several times, and 
 then disappearing." 
 
 And the Princess Starabielsky, noticing the 
 
210 GELTA : OB, 
 
 suppressed nervousness of the speaker's face, rose 
 and went towards the door to see who the intruder 
 was, having asked her sister-in-law meanwhile to 
 finish arranging the plant ; which request was at 
 once complied with. In doing so, the Princess 
 de Socoloff immediately discovered that the clock 
 was well hidden beneath the earth in the pot, and 
 she felt relieved on that point. 
 
 The Princess Starabielsky returned, saying that 
 there was no one, who had been seen, thrusting 
 his head in, and laughingly rallied her sister-in- 
 law about her ghost stories, and after having 
 admiringly approved of the pretty effect of the 
 creeping plant wound about the column, both 
 ladies left the ball room, only to return shortly 
 afterwards to welcome the guests. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 It was a few minutes past nine o'clock when 
 Father Paulus entered Gelta's drawing room. 
 
 For two long hours she had nervously paced up 
 and down her room, expecting him at every 
 moment, and now he had at last come. After 
 apologizing for his tardy arrival caused by his 
 not receiving the Count's telegram sooner. Father 
 Paulus after having first exacted once more her 
 promise that she would never mention to any 
 living being, what he was about to tell her, he re- 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 211 
 
 vealed in its minutest details, the plot by which 
 the Czar and his family were expected to enter so 
 soon into eternity. 
 
 Gelta on hearing this fearful confession con- 
 cerning the imminent assassination, staggered, and 
 almost fell fainting to the ground, but Father 
 Paulus caught her in his arms and seeing how she 
 had almost shrank horrified from him, with an 
 imprecation whispered the word : 
 
 "Traitress!" 
 
 "Oh no, Father, not that," she answered 
 agitatedly as the hateful epithet was thrust at hei r 
 and making a superhuman effort to compose her 
 unstrung nerves, she continued : 
 
 "No good Father, not a traitress, for as a 
 Jewess, and a dear friend of Count Boroffsky, 1 
 am naturally overwhelmed and doubly rejoice at 
 this good news, for I can now fully realize," she 
 continued emphasizing each word, " how deeply 
 the Count is devoted to me. Go now, I need some 
 rest, leave me good Father," she pleaded as she 
 caught sight of the clock on the etagere whose 
 hands indicated half past ten, for she was in an 
 agony of mind, lest the Duchess should arrive at 
 any moment, and finding her agitated and not 
 dressed for the ball, would suspect that something 
 unusual had occurred; so after making her repeat 
 the promise she had given him that it was to be 
 a dead secret, Father Paulus took his departure. 
 
 He had been leisurely walking for some ten 
 minutes towards the Isaac church, when he re- 
 
212 gelta: or, 
 
 cognized a gorgeous equipage dash by with the 
 elegant liveries of the Duchess Dolgorouki wend- 
 ing their way towards the Hotel de 1'Europe. 
 
 " They are going to fetch Mademoiselle Dechon," 
 he murmured, with gnashing teeth, "and she 
 promised me that she would not go. I will see," 
 he mentally said, at the same time retracing his 
 footsteps, " whether she will keep her word." 
 
 Gelta, as soon as Father Paulus left her, stood 
 transfixed, with her head resting between her up- 
 lifted hands. 
 
 " Something must be done to save them," she 
 murmured, half dazed, and squeezing hei head 
 hard with both her hands, as if to remove the 
 sudden numbness which the awful revelation had 
 caused her brain. " They must be warned, but 
 how?" she asked herself in despair. "I have 
 promised not to mention this to a living being, 
 and I must not break my promise. Neither can I 
 wittingly allow the Czar to be assassinated, even 
 though he is Israel's enemy, for Judaism and 
 humanity shrink from shedding human blood. 
 And Demetrius whom I so deeply love in danger. 
 No," she ejaculated aloud, "this vile plot must 
 not succeed ! but how, how," she asked herself, 
 despairingly, " can the catastrophe be avoided ? 
 Ah, I have it," she exclaimed excitedly, as the 
 numbness of her brain seemed to thaw, " I have 
 it, I can keep my promise and still save them, I 
 will go myself to the awful column, and remove 
 the fatal machine before its time to explode. Let 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 213 
 
 me see," she mentally continued, " Father Paulus 
 said the time-fuse was set for exactly half past 
 twelve o'clock, as the Emperor is expected at 
 twelve. What time is it now?" She looked at 
 the clock. " Five minutes to eleven ! "Why, the 
 Duchess may be here at any moment and I not 
 dressed! What excuse can I give, for keeping 
 her ladyship waiting? Ah, I have it," she ex- 
 claimed aloud. An imperceptible smile played 
 over her agitated countenance, as she moved the 
 clock's hands back nearly one hour. 
 
 Hardly had she done so, when the door opened, 
 and the Dowager Duchess Dolgorouki swept in 
 robed in a magnificent sable cloak, and was 
 about to offer some excuse for being so late, when 
 she stepped back with her hands thrown up in 
 amazed astonishment, at seeing Gelta not yet 
 dressed for the ball. 
 
 Gelta readily interpreted the horrified look 
 on her chaperone's face, and laughingly replied, 
 " now Duchess don't look so dismayed, for I havo 
 just been consulting the clock, and it's only a 
 quarter past ten." 
 
 " My dear child," interposed the Duchess, "I 
 assure you your clock is very slow." 
 
 " Very well, we will not lose time in discussing 
 the subject," Gelta replied with a smile, " for I 
 will endeavor to make a three minute's stage 
 change," and she disappeared into her boudoir, 
 rang for her maid, and immediately began her 
 toilette. 
 
214 GELTA : OR, 
 
 Fifteen minutes later she issued forth in a 
 simple but elegant ivory satin gown, covered with 
 embroidered maiden hair in silver thread, with 
 one large diamond star on the top of her head, 
 which shone like the star of Bethlehem amid 
 her raven locks. 
 
 They had descended the few steps leading from 
 the hotel, and Gelta was just about to follow the 
 Duchess into her carriage, when she felt a slight 
 touch on her elbow, and looking round she saw 
 Father Paulus at her side, on whose face through 
 the rays of the electric light in front of the 
 hotel, she saw an awful reproach depicted. 
 
 Gelta like a flash took in the situation, and 
 making an apology to the Duchess for her 
 momentary absence, addressed the priest saying : 
 
 " Come good Father, I will tell my maid to send 
 those candles at once ; " and with that they both 
 entered into the hall of the hotel where Gelta in 
 a low whisper said : 
 
 " I must go to avoid suspicion, but I will dis- 
 appear immediately on my arrival. Best easy," 
 and with that she at once rejoined the Duchess 
 and they were soon dashing along to the Stara- 
 bielsky Palace. 
 
 The ball room was crowded with the many 
 guests, all waiting anxiously for the first dance to 
 begin which would not be until after the arrival of 
 the Czar who was due at half past 11 o'clock. 
 
 The hour had already passed, but almost every 
 one there present, knew that the Czar always 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 215 
 
 arrives late ; so as to give ample time to liis many 
 detectives to report at head-quarters, whether any 
 plots upon his life have been discovered, and 
 whether he may attend with safety ; so some of 
 the people busied themselves with whispering 
 sweet nothings, while others took delight in 
 viewing the beautiful toilettes of their friends 
 and acquaintances. 
 
 All the riches and magnificence of the court 
 and nobility were displayed for the occasion, the 
 variety of National costumes Georgian, Circas- 
 sian, and others blended with the many Parisian 
 creations, were simply superb. The foreign 
 ministers and visitors, all formed a coup-d y oeil of 
 extreme splendor. 
 
 The Princess Starabielsky wore a train of green 
 velvet embroidered in gold, and much beriched 
 with diamonds, and other precious stones, over a 
 white satin robe ; upon her left shoulder was a 
 bow of blue satin ribbon, on which were the 
 Empress's initials in brilliants, a diadem of 
 brilliants crowned her fair coiffure. 
 
 The Princess de Socoloff wore a silver blue 
 satin toilette, which harmonized with her mag- 
 nificent auburn hair, and she was one blaze of 
 diamonds. There were a great number of beauti- 
 ful dresses besides, but there were very few hand- 
 some or pretty women in the whole assembly; 
 indeed generally speaking, beauty is rare among 
 the Eussian women, it is very uncommon in every 
 rank, yet perhaps no other people in the world, 
 
216 gelta: or, 
 
 value external appearance so much, or who are 
 so vain of their person, as the Russians. 
 
 The hostess and her sister-in-law, the Princess 
 de Socoloff, were graciously doing the honors of 
 the evening, when the latter, after having a mes- 
 sage delivered to her, quickly called the Princess 
 Starabielsky aside, and imparted to her the sud- 
 den and dreadful news which she had just re- 
 ceived of how her child had been seized with 
 sudden convulsions and was dying. She also en- 
 joined her sister-in-law not to mention her disap- 
 pearance to her husband, Prince de Socoloff, who 
 was at that moment in the ball room, so as not 
 to alarm him, and she added if matters were not 
 quite so serious as her agitated maid had repre- 
 sented, she would at once return. 
 
 The Princess Starabielsky's mind was too much 
 engrossed with her success as a hostess, to be 
 visibly affected by so slight an occurrence, as a 
 little niece's illness. She bade her sister-in-law 
 not to take things too much to heart, and to re- 
 turn as quickly as possible. 
 
 Princess de Socoloff, with a cloak thrown over 
 her ball-dress, soon left the Palace, mentally con- 
 gratulating herself upon her safe escape, and feel- 
 ing herself almost a martyr, to her cause, in 
 leaving the husband whom she had never really 
 loved, to be sacrificed, in order that his absence 
 should not arouse suspicion. 
 
 The gardens of the Palace were brilliantly 
 illuminated. Walls of light were on each side of 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 217 
 
 the walks, and avenues, pyramids and obelisks 
 from fifty to seventy feet in height were to be 
 seen mysteriously overshadowing the many 
 colored lamps which were placed among 
 the flowers, and which had an extremely 
 pleasing effect, with here, and there, a Greek 
 statue, or Corinthian column, ornamenting 
 some sequestered spot ; resplendent stars, seem- 
 ingly suspended in mid-air, were everywhere to 
 be seen, but the most beautiful sight of all was 
 two large fountains about sixty feet in height, 
 whose waters fell in artificial cascades, from this 
 height, forming a very pretty stream, while in the 
 hollow of the base-work, all the way down, rows 
 of lamps were placed, over which the fluid rushed 
 from the cascade like a shower of diamonds, 
 whilst the flashing lights beneath had an inde- 
 scribably brilliant effect. At the magnificent en- 
 trance to the Palace, the fine, untarnished, bronze 
 figures, glittered like statues of gold, in the rays 
 of the hundreds of lighted chandeliers. A gor- 
 geous red velvet carpet covered the richly inlaid 
 floor, and white marble staircase, with here, and 
 there, a statue from Rome, or Florence, enlivened 
 by some beautiful tropical plant. In the midst 
 of all this brilliancy, mingled with the Stara- 
 bielsky liveries, were some of the Czar's chamber- 
 lains, and household troops on guard, for the last 
 notes of the National Anthem denoted that several 
 minutes had elapsed since the Czar's arrival. 
 Every one of the invited guests had already ar- 
 
218 gelta: oe, 
 
 rived, everyone, excepting, the Dowager Duchess 
 Dologorouki and Mademoiselle Dechon, whose 
 absence was not noticed by the busy hostess amid 
 that vast crowd. 
 
 Volodia Yarsolof, the Duchess's young nephew, 
 and his friend, Demetrius, were much concerned, 
 and were speculating as to what could have en- 
 tailed the delay. And the nervous and eager 
 glances which they both cast every now and then, 
 at the entrance from the top of the grand stairway 
 on which they stood, denoted the agitation of 
 their minds, for Demetrius had mentally vowed 
 that Gelta should be his wife within the ensuing 
 twenty-four hours. Come what might, even if life 
 itself should have to be forfeited soon afterward, 
 for what was the use of living without her ? Bet- 
 ter one short hour of extreme bliss, than a long 
 period of weary existence, and the twitchings of 
 his nervous lips beneath his small, light-brown 
 moustache plainly evinced the suppressed inward 
 storm. 
 
 Volodia also betrayed signs of mental agitation, 
 as the time was drawing near wherein he would 
 have to play his part in the plot evolved by his 
 friend. He felt a momentary remorse for the 
 trusting girl, who was so soon to fall into love's 
 pitfall, and he almost viewed his Aunt's non-arri- 
 val with a feeling of relief. 
 
 The head of the third Section who stood at some 
 distance eyeing the two young men's anxious look 
 of expectancy, would have become suspicious, 
 
THE CZAR AND THE OANTATRIOE. 219 
 
 had they been other, than His Highness the 
 Grand Duke Demetrius, and his friend Count 
 Yarsolof. 
 
 "But," mused the old beaurocrat, "I wonder 
 what those two young scapegoats are up to now ? 
 What can be their game ? Some timid dear, I'll 
 wager," and with this cynical conclusion, the head 
 of the third Section murmured with a sigh of re- 
 gret, " Ah, lucky dogs they, who have only the 
 game of hearts to pursue." 
 
 " Tou will give me the sign of their arrival," 
 said Demetrius in a very low voice to his friend, as 
 he heard the distant roll of a carriage approach- 
 ing, " for you know," he continued, " completely 
 to throw her off her guard, she must not see me 
 here to-night." 
 
 Volodia assented to this final arrangement and 
 Demetrius strolled over to the opposite side of the 
 grand staircase to smoke a cigar beneath the 
 shadow of a huge palm tree. 
 
 Meanwhile the Duchess's equipage was rolling 
 along the avenue towards the Starabielsky Palace 
 at a great speed. The clock of the Isaac church, 
 had just struck twelve, and as she heard the time, 
 Gelta leaned back in the carriage overcome by a 
 faint dizziness as the thought overwhelmed her 
 that she might arrive too late. 
 
 The Duchess who had been prattling on at a 
 great rate, suddenly paused to enquire the cause 
 of her companion's silence. " I have been listen- 
 ing to your interesting narative," Gelta managed 
 
220 gelta: or, 
 
 to stammer out, and making supreme effort, to 
 exert her will power to calm lier inward agitation, 
 she continued, "I am so very emotional, and the 
 excitement of attending this grand ball to-night 
 has given me a slight headache, which will no ' 
 doubt soon pass away if I can manage not to 
 speak so much. So dear Duchess pray don't mind 
 my mood," and then she gazed silently out of the 
 carriage window to hide the tumult of her over 
 burdened soul. After some moments silence she 
 suddenly turned to her chaperone and expressed 
 her intense delight at the brilliant illuminations 
 for they had by this time entered the gardens of 
 the Palace. 
 
 " Look ! " cried the old Duchess in dismay to 
 Gelta, as they alighted at the Superb Entrance, 
 and indicating the Emperor's retinue, whispered, 
 " we are late the Czar has arrived." Gelta felt an 
 icy numbness take hold of her, at the information; 
 however making a heroic effort to calm herself ; 
 and bowing in acknowledgement to Yolodia's 
 greetings, Gelta swept up the marble staircase with 
 the Duchess and Yolodia at her side, and entered 
 the magnificent ball room. 
 
 The Grand Duke Demetrius who had caught a 
 glimpse from his hiding place, of the woman 
 whom it is no exaggeration to say he idolized, 
 went out into the garden to conceal, from the 
 curious on-lookers, the inward storm which the 
 sight of her had set raging. 
 
 As the Duchess and her companion entered the 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATKICE. 221 
 
 ball room, the hostess came forward with a few 
 words of welcome, and then whispered, indicating 
 to the other end of the room, " His Majesty has 
 just arrived." 
 
 It was a scene of splendor and gorgeous mag- 
 nificence. 
 
 As Gelta's gaze wandered towards the Imperial 
 family, her eyes alighted upon Mrs. Wilson, who 
 was gracefully going through the evolution of a 
 quadrille in the far off corner of the room, it at 
 once flashed through Gelta's mind that this 
 English woman, whom for months past she had 
 suspected as being one of Boroffsky's conspirators, 
 was wholly innocent. 
 
 In the general excitement of the dazzling 
 magnificent scene, there, standing on the Dai's, 
 surrounded by his courtiers was the Czar gra- 
 ciously exchanging greeting with the Foreign 
 Diplomats ; his sweet consort on his arm. The 
 Empress whose eyes had an anxious, wandering 
 look, appeared anything but happy. 
 
 Gelta, while following her chaperon had arrived 
 within ten paces of the Improvised Throne, when 
 her eyes caught sight of the Corinthian column 
 with the creeping plant, under which was hid the 
 fatal clock. For a moment she swayed like a 
 reed, before an approaching storm, under the 
 awful cyclone which hovered over her whirling 
 brain ; whilst her other remarkable self, composed 
 of her undaunted will power and determination, 
 enjoined her not to lose her courage, until she 
 
222 gelta: or, 
 
 had accomplished the task of saving Israel's 
 enemy. Just then she overheard the remark from 
 a passing couple that supper was not to be served 
 before one o'clock and that it was not quite half 
 past twelve, and that from ten until one o'clock, 
 was a long wait, for one with a good appetite. 
 
 Gelta's lips quivered with convulsions, as she 
 mentally repeated the time " Not quite half past 
 twelve, and the fatal fuse was set for that time." 
 
 Her mind was filled with despair and horror; 
 her brain was hot like glowing coals ; her heart 
 was in her throat, she felt that she must at once 
 snatch the fatal box while it was yet time, from 
 out its hiding place. Happily her excited con- 
 dition was not noticed in the crush ; the Duchess 
 had refrained from gathering her many friends 
 there, about her, because of her companion's sick 
 headache, and with her back turned to her young 
 protege was coquetting with some musty old 
 beaux. 
 
 Gelta moved towards the plant, her spinal 
 column felt like a block of ice ; a numbness served 
 almost to paralyze her movements as she stooped 
 and put her hand into the shrubs. 
 
 The Emperor for the first time that evening, 
 caught sight of Gelta while bending over the 
 plant, and thought the action denoted an eccentric 
 caprice of the American girl to possess herself of 
 one of the creeping sprays. However the dread- 
 ful expression which overspread her face soon 
 disillusioned him ; and as he was about to speak, 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRIOE. 223 
 
 she gave a suppressed scream of horror, as she 
 pulled the clock out and exclaimed : 
 
 " Dynamite ! ! ! " 
 
 Everybody for the moment unconsciously 
 shrank back speechless with fright, as they saw 
 the emblem of death in her up-raised hand, and 
 while during that moment she was quickly making 
 her way to the door, she shouted, 
 
 " Stand aside ! Dynamite ! ! ! " 
 
 The scene of scampering and hubbub that en- 
 sued baffles all description. After the first mo- 
 ment of horror-stricken surprise had elapsed, 
 everybody in that vast crowd dropped their dig- 
 nity of gait, and ran toward the opposite exit. 
 Men roughly elbowed their way right and left to 
 reach the door first, old women and young girls 
 were seized with hysteria and were trampled and 
 bruised by the maddening throng. 
 
 The Empress fell fainting into the Czar's arms 
 and as he hurriedly glanced about for some as- 
 sistance, he saw that all his courtiers and guards 
 had deserted him, for they had all rushed toward 
 the door with the natural instinct of self-preserva- 
 iion first 
 
 After Gelta had quickly disappeared from the 
 voom, a perfect panic set in, the frenzied guests 
 made one mad dash, to reach the door, for the 
 conviction had suddenly come over all, that the 
 entire Palace was charged with Dynamite, and 
 therefore everyone was frantically endeavoring to 
 escape from the building, without the least 
 
224 gelta: or, 
 
 chance of really doing so, since they had block- 
 aded rather than cleared the passage way. 
 
 A loud explosion was suddenly heard which 
 shook the structure, a howl of despair arose from 
 the assembled crowd, as they with horror awaited 
 the supreme moment of being blown into eter- 
 nity. 
 
 At the entrance the guards had somewhat re- 
 laxed their vigilance and were just about to enjoy 
 themselves in their own peculiar way, when Gelta 
 appeared at the head of the grand staircase with 
 the fatal box uplifted above her head, shouting : 
 
 "Dynamite, run for your lives ! " 
 
 They needed no. second invitation, for at the 
 same time hearing the sudden shrieks which is- 
 sued from the ball room, the guards and servants 
 suddenly fled from the palace and its grounds. 
 
 Gelta had almost reached the garden where 
 she intended to throw the fatal box away, when 
 she almost instantly felt herself lifted into space 
 and hurled with great force through the air. 
 
 Demetrius who had been smoking a cigar at 
 the further end of the garden, and endeavoring to 
 compose and calm his excited thoughts in regard 
 to Gelta who was so soon to become the mistress 
 of his Temple, was aroused from his meditations, 
 and attracted by th,e confused sounds issuing 
 from the ball room. He was just about to wend 
 his way back to the Palace, to ascertain its cause; 
 when he heard a loud explosion, and immediately 
 afterwards he saw what at first appeared to him 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 225 
 
 like a cloud, and then he perceived a human fig- 
 ure robed in white hurled through the air ! ! ! 
 
 He stood for a moment paralyzed with fear and 
 rooted to the spot, and then excited remarks 
 reached him from the escaping guests, such as : 
 " he is saved ! She saved the Czar's life ! Gelta 
 Dechon is a great heroine ! ! ! " 
 
 Like a flash of lightning Demetrius realized 
 what the explosion meant, and whose form it was, 
 which he had seen whirled through the air. A 
 mad impulse seized upon him and quickened his 
 energies, he hurriedly sped in the direction where 
 the form had disappeared. 
 
 After some ten minutes of hasty exploration of 
 the grounds, Demetrius saw an inanimate white 
 form, lying a few paces away at the feet of a 
 marble Nymph. 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 Twelve hours later, when Gelta first regained 
 consciousness after the ball, she found herself in 
 her own bed, with Demetrius sitting on a low 
 chair at the foot of her couch, with his head 
 wearily resting between his hands. 
 
 Two strange men sat in the further end of the 
 room, who had evidently just finished a consulta- 
 tion. Her clear brain at once recognized them as 
 a couple of physicians by their last remark which 
 she had overheard. 
 
226 gelta: ob, 
 
 " Amputation is quite useless in this case, for 
 she cannot possibly survive ! " 
 
 Gelta quickly shut her eyes again as the over- 
 whelming news suddenly swept over her ; she lay 
 some minutes motionless, her long eyelashes 
 drooping over her weary eyes, an expression of 
 exhaustion visible on her pale face ; in spite of 
 this, it breathed a full and perfect peace, such as 
 is only enjoyed by those, who have ceased to 
 expect, or to fear anything in this life. After a 
 lapse of some minutes she opened her eyes once 
 more, and asked Demetrius whether the Czar was 
 saved. 
 
 " Yes," answered Demetrius, in a low, husky 
 voice, "Yes, saved! and through you!" 
 
 " Thank God for that ! " she murmured with 
 fervor, a sweet smile lighting up her face as their 
 eyes met; for now she felt neither dread nor 
 pain. 
 
 The physicians came forward. The elder of 
 the two, a venerable looking man of about sixty, 
 with heavy gold rimmed spectacles shading his 
 eyes, addressed her in the kindest of voices. 
 
 "What do you feel, my child?" he asked with 
 deep sympathy, as he glanced at the outlines of 
 the limp and helpless form beneath the sheets, 
 for both her limbs had been hopelessly shattered. 
 
 " Nothing Doctor," she murmured slowly, only 
 a great numbness, a great weariness, a sort of ex- 
 haustion stealing over me, while a great peace 
 and quiet fills my heart," and then with a sad 
 
THE OZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 227 
 
 sweet smile, she resumed, "Doctor, since your 
 deep learning and undisputed skill is useless in 
 my case, would you mind leaving me alone with 
 my friend for a while," indicating Demetrius, 
 who sat bowed with grief. The two physicians 
 acquiesced and passed into the next room, then 
 Gelta turned to Demetrius and said : 
 
 "Send for Kabbi Kantrowitz, and also for a 
 lawyer at once, and tell the latter to bring all 
 that is wanted to draw up a will," 
 
 Demetrius mechanically obeyed, and an hour 
 later the lawyer appeared. The business was 
 quickly despatched, and Rabbi Kantrowitz 
 entered the patient's room. 
 
 We will not dwell upon the intense and sincere 
 grief of the good Rabbi or of her devoted maid 
 Marriane, when they beheld the sacrifice which 
 this noble daughter of Israel had offered up to 
 save the Czar. "What sublime mercy she had 
 shown to him, who had always been so merciless 
 to her race ! Would the Czar now repent of his 
 past cruelty, and become more Christian-like in 
 his charity, and human compassion? Perhaps! 
 who knows ! 
 
 Gelta in her will had directed first that a thou- 
 sand pounds should be given to Schlomer Gold- 
 stein, to enable him leisurely to pursue his 
 studies ; second, that she should be buried in 
 Paris, near her beloved parents in the Pere La 
 Chaise, her maid Marriane was to receive one 
 thousand pounds and after having accompanied 
 
228 gelta: or, 
 
 her remains to France, was to join her own 
 relatives there, and when all expenses had been 
 paid, the residue should go to Rabbi Kantrowitz, 
 that is, a thousand pounds to him personally, 
 and the remainder as a fund over which he should 
 have the full and sole control to assist those in 
 distress. 
 
 After these preliminaries had been attended to, 
 and Rabbi Kantrowitz had joined the physicians 
 in the next room, so as to leave them both alone, 
 Gelta held out her right hand, which strange to 
 say, had escaped injury, to Demetrius, and making 
 a desperate effort to raise her head a little by a 
 movement which gave her intense pain, in a low 
 and broken voice, she slowly murmured, 
 
 "Demetrius darling, to you I leave nothing, 
 nothing, save my poor weary heart!" and she 
 continued in accents broken with deep emotion, 
 " It has been yours ever since the first time I met 
 you, that day in the British Museum, for it was 
 in the treasure room," she continued with a sad 
 smile, "that I first beheld you." 
 
 He threw his head on the pillow near hers and 
 cried ! cried as people only cry when for the first 
 time they face agonizing despair. 
 
 Gelta, at sight of his grief, felt her poor faint 
 heart weep also, but her eyes were dry, she knew 
 what he meant, and a deep pity for him invaded 
 her soul. If she had felt quite sure that he 
 could live the life for which she wanted to edu- 
 cate him, worthily and well without her, she 
 
/ THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 229 
 
 would perhaps, not have felt so sorry to pass 
 away, but submitted humbly to her fate. But 
 now she trembled for him. 
 
 "Demetrius," she whispered, while lovingly 
 caressing his head, which was buried in the pil- 
 low, "Demetrius darling, I feel we both shall 
 soon meet again, for the longest earthly stay, is 
 but a few brief moments of Time's travel, 
 snatched while journeying upward to that happy 
 realm of lasting peace." 
 
 Gelta's previous robust health enabled her to 
 linger longer, than could have naturally been 
 expected. 
 
 It was twenty-four hours after the ball, 
 Rabbi Kantrowitz seated near her bed, had just 
 finished reading the Tchillim, or prayers for the 
 soul, interrupted now and again by the suppressed 
 sobs which broke from Demetrius' heart. 
 
 Gelta beckoned to the eldest of the two 
 doctors, who were standing in the adjoining room, 
 abstractedly gazing into the open fire grate. In 
 an instant the old physician was at her side, after 
 a moment's pause, she said in a clear voice, 
 
 " Professor, I want you to take a message from 
 the dying, to the Czar ! " 
 
 The doctor bowed his willingness and Gelta in 
 clear low tones continued, 
 
 " Tell the Czar, that in order to save his life, I, 
 a Jewess, have willingly forfeited mine own 
 instead, and if he thinks that my conduct toward 
 him is deserving of any reward, tell him to with- 
 
230 gelta: or, 
 
 draw his hates and persecutions from the grossly 
 misunderstood, but patient children of Israel." 
 
 " Your message shall be carefully delivered to 
 his Majesty the Czar," replied the professor 
 slowly and much moved, and after a moment's 
 silence he asked, 
 
 " Is that all mademoiselle ? " 
 
 " That is all of the message which I wish you 
 to convey to his Majesty" and then she resumed 
 with a faltering voice, of suppressed deep 
 emotion, " Professor, I have still another favor to 
 ask of you." 
 
 "Speak my child," he answered with much 
 kindness. 
 
 After a brief silence, she slowly resumed, "When 
 I am no more, I want you to take my heart from 
 my body and have it cremated," she murmured 
 amid suppressed sobs, "and then give it to the 
 Grand Duke Demetrius. The rest of my body is 
 to be shipped to Paris instructions will be found 
 to that effect in my will," and then after a mo- 
 ment's silence, she sadly asked — "you will do 
 this?" 
 
 "Your wish shall be my solemn duty," he 
 quietly replied. 
 
 " God bless you Doctor ! " she said, as she sud- 
 denly grasped his hand and carried it to her lips 
 with fervent gratitude, " God bless you," she re- 
 peated and sank back in exhaustion. 
 
 A couple of hours later when Gelta opened her 
 eyes she saw Demetrius sitting at the head of her 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 231 
 
 couch, silently weeping. The physicians and 
 Rabbi Kantrowitz were in the adjoining room. 
 
 " Don't cry, dearest," she said in a sad, cares- 
 sing voice. He covered his face with his hands, 
 in a violent gesture of despair. 
 
 " I think," she went on, with a great effort to 
 appear calm, "I think we ought to prepare for 
 the mercy and kindness which we expect from 
 the Almighty towards us,, by the kindness and 
 mercy we have shown to those less fortunately 
 situated than ourselves, and I want to feel, that 
 amid the hollow din and tinselled vanity of the 
 life which surrounds you, you will always be 
 good and merciful to all ; so then when you leave 
 earth your passport of lifo may bear a clean, and 
 honorable record, to lay at the feet of your 
 Maker." 
 
 He got up and walked to the curtained window 
 to wipe his tear-blinded eyes. 
 
 Gelta lingered for some hours longer, silently 
 watching Demetrius. She found it so hard to 
 speak of their parting now that it was at hand — 
 only just before the end ; about thirty hours after 
 the ball, she called him to her side to take leave 
 of him. 
 
 " Don't forget your promise, Demetrius," she 
 said, almost under her breath, " try to serve the 
 children of Israel with merciful Christianity," 
 and then she continued with a sad smile and 
 faltering voice, "when my heart is — is — cremated, 
 enshrine it in a small golden heart, which you 
 
232 gelta: or, 
 
 will wear on your watch chain, next to your 
 charm of the little golden cross with Christus upon 
 it, so that you may always be reminded, that true 
 Christianity is merely transposed Judaism ! 
 
 Don't despair," she moaned in response to his 
 choking sobs, " return to your home and people v 
 it is God's will!" the last words were almost 
 inaudible — it was a mere movement of the lips. 
 
 She lay quite' calm till the end came on, with 
 half closed eyes. Her strength was ebbing away 
 too quickly to allow her to speak, only her band 
 sought Demetrius, and her slender white fingers 
 softly pressed his to her heart, as she murmured : 
 
 " It has always been yours, you will soon pos- 
 sess it." 
 
 A few moments before she died, she opened 
 her eyes, and in an audible sigh whispered, 
 
 "Be kind to Israel's children." 
 
 Her eyes closed, a tremor issued from her lips, 
 and her soul had escaped from the ills and temp- 
 tations of the flesh. 
 
 Life and time shall fade away 
 
 While Heaven and Virtue bloom for ever. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
THE CZAR AND THE CANTATRICE. 233 
 
 ENVOI. 
 
 A young Jewess sacrificed her life to save the 
 Czar from assassination, the Czar, who during 
 the thirteen years of his reign had spent untold 
 millions to hedge himself about with guards, 
 police, spies, and every known form of protection 
 in the endeavor to thwart the nihilists, who 
 were unceasing in their efforts to kill him, and he 
 notwithstanding the fact that his life had been 
 saved by a Jewess, continued throughout the 
 whole of his reign to persecute the Jews with 
 inhuman ferocity. At the last, this same Czar 
 when the skill of the ablest surgeons and phy- 
 sicians of the world had failed, even to alleviate 
 the dreadful malady from which he suffered, was 
 obliged to invoke the aid of a Jewish Professor 
 of Medicine, by whose skill and devotion his life 
 was prolonged for many weeks and his dying 
 moments made calm and peaceful, and almost 
 painless. Such is the mission of the Jews. 
 
 The Jews possess the greatest of all virtues, in 
 which they rival the best of Christians, and that 
 is Charity. When they give, they give liberally. 
 
 The genius of the Semetic race cannot be 
 adulterated. Thus has it ever been, thus will it 
 
234 GELTA ! OR, THE 02 AE AND THE OANTATEIOE. 
 
 ever be, the hated, persecuted Jew, forever re- 
 turning good for evil. 
 
 In history in the future as in the past, the 
 genius of the Seme tic race flows pure and un- 
 adulterated. It is their mission, the mission of the 
 chosen people of God. They have still to protest 
 against the materialism just now so rife, but they 
 are to serve as the bond of union between hostile 
 people in advancing the glorious cause of humanity. 
 
SOME OPINIONS CONCERNING "CELTA." 
 
 OUR GREAT HERO, ADMIRAL GEORGE DEWEY, 
 
 has just written Miss Nadage Doree, expressing his great admiration for the 
 lofty character of the heroine of her book, and thanking her for the honor she 
 did him in permitting him to read " Gelta." 
 Flagship Olympia, Manila, March 22, 1899. 
 
 COMMODORE PHILIP. 
 
 U. S. S. Texas, First Rate, off Tompkinsville, S. I.. N. Y., August 28d, 1898. 
 Your valuable contribution of " Gelta " to the Texas library has been received. 
 I have to thank you above all for the spirit which prompted the gift. 
 
 I. ZANGWILL, 
 
 the famous English novelist, in speaking of the book, says : " ' Gelta ' is written 
 in a bold, masterly way; it is replete with flashes of genius. The story of the 
 Russian Emperor's passions is an intensely interesting one and is most skillfully 
 constructed. The humor of the Whitechapel scenes is provided in abundance, 
 together with touches of pathos, an inseparable concomitant. The dramatic 
 situations are all logical and expressive; there is not a lay figure in the book; all 
 are flesh and blood creations. The author is on her own ground, instinct with 
 tremendous feeling and purpose." 
 
 LEON HUHNER. 
 
 Your book afforded me a view of Russian life and manners which had nevei 
 before been presented to me so vividly or so picturesquely. I could not but ad- 
 mire the uniformly excellent flow of language and the splendid specimens of 
 pathos with which the book is replete, reaching its climax in the closing chapter. 
 " Gelta " might be called an analytical study of a true Jewish heart. Through- 
 out her experiences, whether in the hovel in Whitechapel or in the presence of 
 royalty, the heroine's character is alike consistent and beautiful. You have pre- 
 sented the happy blending which has been characteristic of Jewish women in 
 every age— namely, a fixed purpose to do good and a steadfast devotion to the 
 ancient faith. 
 
 MR. CHAS. H. HASWELL. 
 
 Your book (" Gelta ") is not only very interesting but one of exceptional merit. 
 
 THE REV. HEPWORTH. 
 
 New York Herald. 
 " I am deeply impressed with the earnest, lofty soul of your Jewish heroine. 
 You have drawn a great and beautiful picture of the romance and poetry of 
 Jewish life. ' Gelta's ' exalted sentiment of life is a Christ lesson, being free 
 from prejudice against any human being, regarding every man as a brother, 
 every woman as a sister, and striving to cultivate and cherish genuine human 
 love for all that shall find expression in the effort to better the condition of all. 
 Such is the spirit of 'Gelta, 1 and therefore I sincerely wish the book might be 
 read by every family in our own and other lands." 
 
 THE REV. DR. M'CHESNEY, 
 Dean of Fine Arts, Syracuse University, writes : "Thank you for allowing me to 
 enter the beautiful soul of the Jew through the gateway of the ' Christly jtelta.' 
 Your canvas is large, your picture is great. * Gelta ' is a work that must call 
 forth the greatest praise from all who appreciate the highest and purest attri- 
 butes in character." 
 
THE REV. HENRY FRANK 
 
 writes : "I have just read a very interesting and unique novel entitled 'Gelta.' 
 It has afforded me exquisite pleasure. It abounds in eloquent and thrilling 
 passages, glowing conversation, dramatic situations, and holds the interest in- 
 tently from the opening chapter to the very end. It is not a little remarkable 
 that a Jewish authoress should put into the mouth of her Jewish heroine such 
 exalted and appreciative sentiment concerning Jesus Christ, the Christian Saviour 
 The passages referring to Him are so lofty any Christian minister might embody 
 them i.i his sermons and by doing so elevate his most enlightened audience. The 
 character of 4 Gelta , is extraordinary and in the eyes of some, no doubt, quite 
 impossible. But all ideals are impossible to the unawakened. She forestalls that 
 womanly character that some day may become the universal inspirerof the race. 
 The book must exert a great influence for good. Its literary quality is very high." 
 
 THE REV. PEREIRA MENDES 
 writes : " We owe you much. VGelta's ' earnest purpose and high aim in life 
 make her an object lesson. Every home should contain ' Gelta.' The book has 
 a great purpose." 
 
 THE REV. MADISON C. PETERS 
 
 writes : " l Gelta ' is a splendid exhibition of genius of a Jewish authoress, and 
 show the true, grand and human spirit of Judaism toward Christianity. It will 
 essentially help broaden and uplift the Christians. The book has a great 
 
 FLOYD WILSON, 
 
 the metaphysical writer, writes : " ' Gelta ' is a story worthy the psychic age. 
 It has taken evolution so many thousand years for mentality to create. Your 
 heroine is a masterly type of the grandest mentality that marks the closing 
 years of this century. The book is full of strong dramatic situations. The 
 story will grow, not jump, to popular favor." 
 
 THE RABBI BERNARD DRACHMAN 
 
 says: "'Gelta' produced a very deep impression upon me. The warmth of 
 Jewish sentiment, together with the lofty and ideal views of humanity which she 
 expresses, make its influence morally very beneficent. The book should be put 
 into the hands of our thinking young people. Its literary and artistic value is 
 very high." 
 
 "THE HEBREW STANDARD." 
 
 "Gelta; or, The Czar and the Cantatrice " is a book of absorbing interest. 
 Every one should read it. It is a startling expos6 of originality and power." 
 
 " NEW YORK JOURNAL." 
 
 Miss Doree's New Book. — The lover of stories with plenty of plot and incident 
 will have a delightful hour or two when he sits down to read u Gelta; or, The 
 Czar and the Cantatrice," a new novel by Nadage Doree. Judaism and Nihilism 
 are the sources upon which Miss Dor6e draws for a series of incidents and de- 
 scriptions so richly variegated that one might think she had discovered a field 
 hitherto unploughed. I. Zangwill, the famous English novelist, pays high 
 tribute to the book. 
 
 "THE STAATS-ZEITUNG." 
 
 •' Gelta; or, The Czar and the Cantatrice," by Nadage Doree, is a very remark 
 able book— its diction is masterful throughout and its stirring scenes of intense 
 passion between the Russian Emperor and the Jewish maiden Gelta are most 
 dramatic and full of the pulse of life. 
 
Ml 
 
 NADAGE DOREE, 
 
 THE BRILLIANT YOUNG 
 EMOTIONAL ACTRESS 
 
 WELL APPEAR SHORTLY IN AN ELABORATE 
 DRAMATIZATION OF 
 
 "GELTA; 
 
 OR, 
 
 THE CZAR 
 
 AND 
 
 THE SONGSTRESS." 
 
THE HIGHLY GIFTED YOUHG EMOTIONAL ACTRESS 
 
 MISS NADAQE DOREE. 
 
 NADAGE DOREE 
 
 Is an actress of varied accomplishments, from jolly comedy to intense tragedy. 
 She acted the potion scene from " Romeo and Juliet M in a manner that capti- 
 vated the surprised house.— New York Sun. 
 
 MISS NADAGE DOREE 
 
 in the balcony scene, made a notable hit. Her acting was girlish intelligent, 
 forceful and impassioned, and she was rewarded by the warmest applause. She 
 was beautifully costumed, and with her rich, warm Southern beauty looked the 
 ideal Juliet.— New York Herald. 
 
 NADAGE DOREE'S PLAY, " THE TEMPTRESS," 
 
 is from the French school. Miss Doree is a most accomplished emotional young 
 actress, speaks her lines in a most natural manner and her voice is wonderfully 
 tender and of an exquisite quality. Her Oriental beauty and great personal 
 magnetism make her impersonation of "The Temptress" most bewitching.— 
 New York Herald. 
 
 "THE TEMPTRESS" 
 
 is a very clever and scintillating comedy, full of brilliant wit. Miss Nadage 
 Doree's ideal and passionate face, lithe girlish figure, together with her superb 
 and refined acting, full of chiaroscuro, won the hearts of the large audience at 
 once. She is very magnetic and emotional, possessing extraordinary dramatic 
 skill.— Times. 
 
 MISS NADAGE DOREE, 
 
 the beautiful and brilliant young emotional actress, by the freshness and natural- 
 ness of her acting, made an ideal "Juliet.' 1 She portrayed " the love of her 
 who was all love " with a warmth and tenderness, a strength and fidelity that 
 was marvelous.— New York Sunday News. 
 
 "THE TEMPTRESS" 
 
 is the cleverest comedy that has been produced for many a day. It is a marvel 
 of construction, wit and workmanship. It combines swift humor with subtle 
 sarcasm, epigrammatic in dialogue, absolutely balanced in chiaroscuro, simple 
 in story, eloquent in sentiment, honest in purpose, healthful in influence and 
 iascinatingly sustains the interest to the very end. Every moment of it was 
 enjoyed keenly by the large audience last evening. The spirited acting and 
 poetic French chic of Miss Nadage Doree as "The Temptress " was superb, and 
 reminded us of the great Rejane. It is a brilliant play brilliantly played. The 
 gods were in a good humor the day Nadage Doree was born; beauty, great 
 talent, health and intense imagination are all her own— in fact, the lively imagi- 
 nation of this gifted young artist colors all she attempts and is forever overflow- 
 ing in new directions, while her elevated sentiments and strong religious feelings 
 win the sincere admiration of all those who know her — The London Times. 
 
 MISS NADAGE DOREE, 
 
 a highlv talented and beutiful young American, impersonated the rSle of Naomi 
 Tighe (In school), which was created by Lady Bancroft. Miss Doree played with 
 a girlish vim. dash and vivacity which delighted a very large audience.— London 
 Telegraph. 
 
YB 32545 
 
! 
 
 Kit!- 
 
 mm 
 
 H! 
 
 m 
 
 m 
 
 m 
 
 
 ! !