II. AT THE SIGN OF THE DOUBLE-HEADED EAGLE.

Press, Volume XLVII, Issue 7523, 12 April 1890, Page 2

11. AT THE SIGN OF THE DOUBLE-HEADED EAGLE.

There were a exeat many guests at the ' inn that evening. The society there was always very mixed ; the caprice of Callot and Goya combined could not produce a (ttore whimsical collection of characteristic types. The Double-Headed Eagle was one of those large, delightful basement saloons celebrated by Hoffman, of which the steps were so worn, so unctuous and so slippery that 009 could hardly put one's foot on tho topmost without almost immediately findTrigone's self at the bottom, seated at a table between a pot of beer and a measure of wine, and with a pipe in one's mouth. ■ Through the thick clouds of smoke which filled the place there would gradually loom up etrange figures of ■ all sorts —■ Wallace, fans wearing Astrakhan caps, Servians, Hungarians with their long black moustaches and wearIng braided dolmans, Bohemians with copper-hued ekine and narrow foreheadei honest Germans in ellttriramed coats, Tartars with slanting eyes like the Chinese —in short, people of every Imaginable race. The Orient was represented by a great Turk who squatted in,, a corner, peaceably smoking a cherry-wood pipe ~wlth~an amber mouthpiece. The other persons were seated at small tables busily eating and drinkiug, th,e beverages being strong beer and a mixture of new red and Diawhite, wine. The eatables werecoldveal and ham and pastry. Round and round between the tables whirled incessantly a Itream of waltzers, the exercise having the same effect upon their Occidental minds as hasheesh and opium have on the minds of the Orientals. The couples passed and repassed rapidly to the sound of Lanner's music, the women leaning, almost faint with delight, on the arms of thefr partners, while their skirts swept away the smoke clouds and fanned the faces of the drinkers. At tJhe counter a group of Morlachian bards, accompanied byaguzla player, were reciting A sort of dramatic lament, which seemed to interest deeply a dozen utrange figures clad in sheepskin. • Heinrich, the young actor, entered the spacious saloon and went toward a table where there were already three or four youths chatting merrily. ,f Ah: here Iβ our Heinrich. Take care of yourselves friends — -fcenum faxbet in cortw! cried the eldest or the party j and then he added: "Do you know you looked really diabolical last night! I w»s almost afraid of you. Who wouhi have thought that Hefnrlch, who drinks.beer, just aa we do,and does .pop', disdain a slice of cold ham, could put on such a wicked-, sardonic air and make the whole house shudder?" " That shows what a great actor he is,") said another young man i "there is no art' In playing a part that s.uits one's own character, but it requires genius for a coquette to assume an air of sweet simplicity." . Heinrich took a seat at a table, and, with a very modest air, ordered a glass of mixed wine, and the conversation was continued in the same strain, the ypung actor receiving compliments pom every side. ' •■••■■• ■ ■ - a " Ah, if Wolfgang yon Goethe had out seen you 1" saia one: and another added,; **~lana sure you have the cloven foot —let: us see." ■ ! The othir guests of the inn, attracted by gdlt&is acclamation, looked curiously at Heinrich and were delighted to have an opportunity of seeing such a celebrity as be.'* Some young men who had been at the university with hint, but who hardly Knaw his name., came up hand as warmly as If they were his most intimate friends. The prettiest of the fetr.ale'WKitzerß cast glances of tender inte.re»feat hinj from their velvety blue eyes as'tKey passed. . alone seemed to take no part in the general enthusiasm. He was sitting at a table near by, with his head turned in the opposite direction, and was absently drumming a military march with hist .flnjgara on the. crown of his hat, and uttering from time to time ft very dubioqs humph 11 His appearance was peculiar, although at first eight he might be taken -for an honest citizen of moderate means. were grayj but with a greenish tinge, and they seemed to shine with a. pht?|phoraaceat light like those of a cat; his pale; thin , lips, when parted, displayed two rows of very white teeth, pointed and far apart, which gave him a ferocious, almost cannibal expression, while hie long, curved finger nails looked like claws. These peculiarities, however, were obeervable only to persons who glanced' at him , suddenly, 'or to eyes that lopked fixedly at him he presented the ordinary easy appearance of a retired merchant, and one would be astonished at one's self for having suspected each-a—harmless looking person-of any villainy. The youpg Heinrich was secretly annoyed, by the maji'e evident indifference,: and his 1 disdainful silence seemed to take from the value of the admiring praises' with which his own companions were overwhelming him; it was the silence of the whp cannot be- deceived by appearance and who has seen the best of everything in his time. Atmaver, the QrHelniich's admirera, . notiieed this person c cold silence and addressed him defiantly, saying: "Is it not true, sir*, that no actor could play the pajrt of Mephistjophele.* better than out friend here?' 1 ' " " Humph I." qaid the qtranfjer, grinding his sharp teeth together, wniie his bluefrean eyes flashed. "Mr Heinrich is a ouqff man of talent—l admired him greatly; but in order to play hie payt well h§ Has much to learn." Then, turning to he said suddenly : .*• Have yqu AT'er seen the devil ? " putting the question in spcji a sharp, mocking a, chill ran thwfrigfe hiahearera* i"Taac is Absolutely essential," he continued, "for the perfect rendering of the part. The other night I was in the theatre of the Forte de. rQarinfcbJti, and I; was potjiasisfled wljih, your laugh—it was- a laugh of mere miechievousness a,{» the most. This is the way you should doit, my dear little Heinrich."

by way of jpj»mple, he gave a sharp, shrill peal of laughter that was so malicious apd sardonic that the music and the dancers stopped sitnult«jeQU|ly. Tfys Ji*ugh, lwfc|?4 tot several mlnutea and <-made the windows rattle, and the young men, although they were, struck with dismay, could not refrain from joining in. When they recovered them&Jlves and looked around, the rooni was still ringing with the echoes of that} mocking laugh, bafc -the stranger was no? where to l|e seen, ; (7