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nests with the wool from her torn bed； and I took charge of her
bones。 I only pray that our sons may never see any wars again。〃
IN VARIOUS ROLES
In the following reminiscences will frequently be mentioned a
lady who played a great part in the annals of the police from
1848 to 1866。 We will call her 〃Wanda von Chabert。〃 Born in
Galicia of German parents； and carefully brought up in every way；
when only sixteen she married； from love； a rich and handsome
officer of noble birth。 The young couple； however； lived beyond
their means； and when the husband died suddenly； two years after
they were married； she was left anything but well off。
As Wanda had grown accustomed to luxury and amusement； a quiet
life in her parents' house did not suit her any longer。 Even
while she was still in mourning for her husband； she allowed a
Hungarian magnate to make love to her。 She went off with him at a
venture； and continued the same extravagant life which she had
led when her husband was alive； of her own volition。 At the end
of two years； however； her lover left her in a town in North
Italy； almost without means。 She was thinking of going on the
stage； when chance provided her with another resource； which
enabled her to reassert her position in society。 She became a
secret police agent； and soon was one of their most valuable
members。 In addition to the proverbial charm and wit of a Polish
woman； she also possessed high linguistic attainments； and spoke
Polish； Russian； French； German； English； and Italian； with
almost equal fluency and correctness。 Then she had that
encyclopedic polish which impresses people much more than the
most profound learning of the specialist； She was very attractive
in appearance； and she knew how to set off her good looks by all
the arts of dress and coquetry。
In addition to this； she was a woman of the world in the widest
sense of the term； pleasure…loving； faithless； unstable； and
therefore never in any danger of really losing her heart； and
consequently her head。 She used to change the place of her abode；
according to what she had to do。 Sometimes she lived in Paris
among the Polish emigrants； in order to find out what they were
doing； and maintained intimate relations with the Tuileries and
the Palais Royal at the same time； sometimes she went to London
for a short time； or hurried off to Italy to watch the Hungarian
exiles； only to reappear suddenly in Switzerland； or at one of
the fashionable German watering…places。
In revolutionary circles； she was looked upon as an active member
of the great League of Freedom； and diplomatists regarded her as
an influential friend of Napoleon III。
She knew everyone； but especially those men whose names were to
be met with every day in the journals； and she counted Victor
Emmanuel； Rouher； Gladstone； and Gortschakoff among her friends
as well as Mazzini； Kossuth； Garibaldi； Mieroslawsky； and
Bakunin。
In the spring of 185… she was at Vevey on the lovely lake of
Geneva； and went into raptures when talking to an old German
diplomatist about the beauties of nature； and about Calame；
Stifter； and Turgenev； whose 〃Diary of a Hunter；〃 had just become
fashionable。 One day a man appeared at the table d'hote； who
excited unusual attention； and hers especially； so that there was
nothing strange in her asking the proprietor of the hotel what
his name was。 She was told that he was a wealthy Brazilian； and
that his name was Don Escovedo。
Whether it was an accident； or whether he responded to the
interest which the young woman felt for him； at any rate she
constantly met him whereever she went； whether taking a walk； or
on the lake or looking at the newspapers in the reading…room。 At
last she was obliged to confess to herself that he was the
handsomest man she had ever seen。 Tall slim； and yet muscular；
the young； beardless Brazilian had a head which any woman might
envy； features not only beautiful and noble； but also extremely
delicate； dark eyes which possessed a wonderful charm； and thick；
auburn； curly hair； which completed the attractiveness and the
strangeness of his appearance。
They soon became acquainted； through a Prussian officer whom the
Brazilian had asked for an introduction to the beautiful Polish
ladyfor Frau von Chabert was taken for one in Vevey。 She； cold
and designing as she was； blushed slightly when he stood before
her for the first time； and when he gave her his arm； he could
feel her hand tremble slightly on it。 The same evening they went
out riding together； the next he was lying at her feet； and on
the third she was his。 For four weeks the lovely Wanda and the
Brazilian lived together as if they had been in Paradise； but he
could not deceive her searching eyes any longer。
Her sharp and practiced eye had already discovered in him that
indefinable something which makes a man appear a suspicious
character。 Any other woman would have been pained and horrified
at such a discovery； but she found the strange consolation in it
that her handsome adorer promised also to become a very
interesting object for pursuit； and so she began systematically
to watch the man who lay unsuspectingly at her feet。
She soon found out that he was no conspirator； but she asked
herself in vain whether she was to look for a common swindler； an
impudent adventurer； or perhaps even a criminal in him。 The day
that she had foreseen soon came； the Brazilian's banker
〃unaccountably〃 had omitted to send him any money； and so he
borrowed some of her。 〃So he is a male courtesan；〃 she said to
herself。 The handsome man soon required money again； and she lent
it to him again。 Then at last he left suddenly and nobody knew
where he had gone to； only this much； that he had left Vevey as
the companion of an old but wealthy Wallachian lady。 So this time
clever Wanda was duped。
A year afterward she met the Brazilian unexpectedly at Lucca；
with an insipid…looking； light…haired； thin Englishwoman on his
arm。 Wanda stood still and looked at him steadily； but he glanced
at her quite indifferently； he did not choose to know her again。
The next morning； however； his valet brought her a letter from
him； which contained the amount of his debt in Italian
hundred…lire notes； accompanied by a very cool excuse。 Wanda was
satisfied； but she wished to find out who the lady was； in whose
company she constantly saw Don Escovedo。
〃Don Escovedo。〃
An Austrian count； who had a loud and silly laugh； said：
〃Who has saddled you with that yarn？ The lady is Lady
Nitingsdale； and his name is Romanesco。〃
〃Romanesco？〃
〃Yes； he is a rich Boyar from Moldavia； where he has extensive
estates。〃
Romanesco ran a faro bank in his apartments； and certainly
cheated； for he nearly always won； it was not long； therefore；
before other people in good society at Lucca shared Madame von
Chabert's suspicions； and； consequently； Romanesco thought it
advisable to vanish as suddenly from Lucca as Escovedo had done
from Vevey； and without leaving any more traces behind him。
Some time afterward； Madame von Chabert was on the Island of
Heligoland； for the sea…bathing； and one day she saw
Escovedo…Romanesco s