The Omaha Sunday Bee Magazine Page
Copyright, 1911, by tha Star Company. Great Britain Rights Iteaerved.
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Astounding Story of the Mysterious
Plot That Drove Austria's Haughtiest
Royal Lady from Her Husband
on Their Bridal Night
By Ivan Narodny
THE presence In New York City
of Mile. Lucie do CInsson, for
mer lady-ln-waltlng to Isa
bella Marie, Archduchess of Austria,
mnkes It possible to clear up one of
the most extraordinary tragic mys
teries that ever cast Its shadow upon
a royal house of Europe.
All the world was startled re
cently when the telegraph and cables
scattered broadcast the news that the
, young Archduchess Isabella Marie
and her newly wedded husband.
Prince George of Bavaria, had sepa
rated on the eve of their nuptials,
after a scene in the bridal apart
ments in the Bavarian royal palace
at Munich in which the hysterical
Archduchess set Are to and destroyed
her wedding costume. Beyond the
additional details that the Prince dis
parted Immediately on a bunting trip
and that the distraught Archduchess
went home to her mother, the Arch
duchess of Teschen, there has been.
until now, no further light thrown
upon the mysterious affair.
The official explanation of the
courts of Austria and Bavaria was
absurdly inadequate simply, "a
sudden and irreparable clash of two
artistic temperaments." The young
Archduchess, In bestowing her hand
upon Prince George, had been obliged
to Tenounce her claim in the succes
sion to the Austrian throne. This
was a solemn and irrevocable act
which carried with it also her renun
ciation of precedence according to
her rank at the court of the Austrian
Empire. Not even the annulment of
her unfortunate marriage will re
storo to her theso honors.
The rest was mere rumor that
Prince George was moody, tailing no
interest in sports, not even in hU
favorite pastime, boxing, nnd thnt
his Munich residence la for sale.
At the time of this matrimonial
tragedy Prince George was thirty
one years old, and one of the most
popular officers in the German army.
He held the rank of captain in two
regiments. Ho enjoyed the reputa
tion of being the best boxer in the
army, and held both the middle
weight and heavyweight champion
ships. The Kals'er had decorated him
and he was In high favor with his
maternal grandfather, Emperor Fran
rls .Tnnfitih. while being the favorite
grandson of the Prince Regent of York City, I paid her a visit and was
Bavaria.
Archduchess Isabella Marie was
twenty four. Besides her beauty, she
enjoyed the reputation of a great wit
and raconteuse-a story teller safo
from rivalry In court circles.
Significance was added to the sep
aration of this royal couple by the
world-wldo knowledge thnt no two
thrones In Europe have been more
ieset with tragedies than thoso of
Austria and Bavaria. Both the
Austrian Empress and Crown Prince
Rudolf wero assasinatod, "nnd hope
less Insanity has claimed two Bavar
ian kings and Prince George Is
directly descended from both these
royal families.
At the time of that bridal night
By Mile. LUCIE DE CLASSON, ArdKlKftW
PRINCE GEORGE of Bavaria,
nnd Archduchess Isabella
Mario of Austria wero mar
ried early last Fobruary, In Vienna,
with ail the pomp and ceremony usual
at the Austrian court upon suoh oc
casions. Representatives ot every
European court were guests, and i
Quite early the next morning I wa
summoned to the privnte apartment
of the Princess's chambermaid. I was
shocked by the tragic expression
which her face held calamity was
written In every feature.
"Leonora I" I exclaimed, "Is the
Princess 111?"
"Madamoi8elle I I do not know,"
she stammered. 'You will learn from
against the back ot the gorgeous bed.
"Leonora will help to dress me,
but you attend to the rest," she stam
mered, imploringly.
Thero was "nothing elso left for
refill lH Jf ILi Lr If . li Mm
separation at Munich. Mile. Lucto de "Soon I heard a weird noise, and, looking around, I saw distinct MmlkMi
2i0liuffi,S: figure of a pretty young girl in a nightgown, staring at m M
companlcd the bride from Vienna ironically. How she had come in I do not know. She just KMIlfirM
ftJTL& vrdked to the bed and occupied it without a word. I trembled lSlWl
a visit to a relative. Learning that all over. 'Madame,' she said, 'this is not your bed; it's mine.' " ?JPIjCra'j:l
she wis staying at present In New r ' JmWil)mi
able to induce ucr to reveni tor mo - TOsii&vSSiSa
drat tlmn thn jtatnnlshlne occurrences k. , . UCfMWaAtMKl
Prince George of Bavaria, Whose Wife Forsook
Him on Their Wedding Night. ,
Archduchess Isabella Marie Whose Wrecked Romance Is a Tragic Mystery.
Cardinal performed the marriage
sacrament. The bride and bride
groom created the general Impres
sion that they made the happiest
couple In the world.
It was evident that the marriage
was not the result of any political
calculations, but was purely the re
sult ot lovo on both sides. The mar
riage ceremony was followed by a
brilliant ball, and Immediately after
ward the bridal party departed for
Munich, tho future home ot the happy
young Archduchess, now consort of
the favorite grandson of the Bavar
ian ruler.
Prince George's residence in Mun
Ich truly a palace of regal propor
tionswas prepared for the becom
ing reception 6f the prince and
Prlncesr When I retired to the
private apartment allotted to mo,
rather early In tho evening, all was
serene
Her Highness."
I followed her through many long
corridors and wide halls to the doot
of the bedroom of the Princess, and
was immediately admitted. I be
held Isabella Marie leaning against
the pillows of her bed in her night
gown, sobbing as if her heart would
break, For a moment I was utterly
dared nnd did not know whnt to
say. Then, summoning all by
courage, I asked:
"Your Highness, how can I serve
you?"
"My dear Lucie," she said between
her sobs, "I wish that you would
pack all my things and make all
ready for an immediate departure
for Vienna. I must leave here. Oh,
my dear! Don't ask me any more.
I must go. Please, secure an extra
car and a closed carriage, so that
nobody will know of my departure.'
She could hardly finish because of
extreme excitement. Trembling and
utterly exhausted, she leaned weakly
me man to obey tho instructions of
the Princess, since I was in her em
ploy. I thought it even advlsablo to
see tho Prince, but whiio passing
through the corridor I met the sec
retary discussing something mysteri
ous with tho aged superintendent of
the palace Seeing me, the superin
tendent left hurriedly and I asked
it I could see the Prince.
"His Highness has left the town
for a hunting trip In the country
and will not return to-day," he re
plied, embarrassed.
For n moment we both looked at
each other as If it wns hard to find
the words, but fluully I told the
message with the Princess had
given me. Tho secretary listened
with a sphinx-like expression and
said that he would arrange the car
riage and the special car, while I
could go ahead with the other affairs.
Leonora, the chambermaid, was
the first to see the Princess at mid
night, and had remained with her.
AH she could say was that tho Prin
cess had wept the whole time.
We left tho palace in a mysterious
way by the back door and, heavily
veiled, tho Princess entered the car
without being recognized. Most of
tho way, until near Vienna, she
looked mutely out of tho window.
At last sbo began to talk and In
structed rae how to secure a carriage
so that no one could see us in Vienna.
As 1 was to leave her upon our ar
rival, she Implored that I should not
tell to anyone In the course of a
month what I hod seen, or of nor
return to the residence of her mother,
I promised. Suddenly she said:
"Oh, dear Lucie, don't marry a man
whoso past you do not know. Tho
mere memory of my marriage still
haunts me. Ugh!"
"Your Highness, I am exceedingly
sorry. I suppose the Prince is guilty
In his behavior," I said.
"The Prince? Why, of course. But
It is something mysterious, some
thing supernatural,'' she began "I
bellove that there are places In the
I
palace in Vienna which are haunted.
I know a gypsy woman who tells my
mothor and mo everything that is
going to happcn,and It happeus. And
she told mo. that a black shadow
hung always ujon the man who
would proposo to me, and hero I
am! Oh, hoavonl oh, hcavcnl"
Tho Princess paused and groaned.
For n long time sho rooked blankly
nt tho Vail of tho car, and then sud
denly she continued:
"When tho Prlnco proposed to me,
I tfeked hlra to give mo twenty-four
boura to think ovor tho matter.
"'Don't you lovo mo, Isabella?'
he asked mo, toaBingly.
" 'Yes. I replied. 'But marriage Is
nlso a pact of mystery and it Is
not wiso to follow only tho senti
ment of affection.'
"Ho JUBt smiled and said: 'AH
right.'
"I went to our family gypsy and
nuked hor to tell me whether the
mat) would suit ir.o who Just pro
posed. Sho read her cabalistic fig
ures, looked at tho stars, thtm at
my hand and whispered:
" 'There Is a black shadow of a
woman between him and you; Her
namo is Ottlllo. Sho has long black
lashos, a pretty faco and ilguro and
big black eyes. If you can drag hor
down from his neck, ho Is yours.'
"What do you think? My heart
throbbed and I spent a sleepless
nlgnt I told the words of tho gypsy
to my mother. She took tho predlc
tlon seriously; yet she decided that
I should accept the proposal.
"When, upon my arrival In Mun
ich, I entered my bed chamber In
tho evoning, I suddenly remem
bered the words of tho gypsy. Thi
room ltaef looked mysterious. When
I undressed myself and went to bed
how can I describe my horror?"
Tho Princess paused with shudder.
Wiping her faco, she continued with
an effort:
"I behold on tho white pillow three
drops ot fresh, red blood. How It
hud como there I do not know. I
Jumped out of bed, trembling, and
rang tho beli. But nobody came.
I rang more. Still nobody. Then
I opened my gulden case, containing
a nacre I amulot and a miniature
holy picture nnd began to murmur
a prayer. Soon I beard a weird
noise, and, looking around, I saw
distinctly tho figure of a pretty,
young girl In a nli;ht gown, staring
nt me ironicully. How she had come
in I do not know. She Just walked
to the bed and occupied It without
a word. I trembled all ovor.
"'Madame,' sho whispered, 'this
Is not your bed, It's mine!'
"1 could hardly V p from fainting.
She was lying under the covers and
pointing at tho drops of blood on tho.
pillow as If to say, 'Don't you know
that?' She was pretty, with dark
long lashes and black eyes, just us
tho gypsy had told me. Remember
ing tho words of tho gypsy I asked
her;
'"Are you Ottilia? She nodded
and whispered": 'Certainly I am.
What do you want of mo?'
Her glance was so full of threat
nnd Irony that I could not stand
It any longer and collapsed. When
1 opened my eyes, the Prlnco wns
kneeling bofofo roe on the lloor nud
keeping a towel with cild water on
my head. Holding my hand, he
looked ut nie frightened.
"Us sho gone?' 1 asked.
"'Who?' asked the Prince, 'Isa
bella, let rae help 70u to the bed.
What on earth Is tho matter wlti
your
'"Well. Is she gono?" I asked
ngaln.
"The Prlnco looked at me, cm'
barrasBod. I got up with effort
a ' took a seat on tho chair. 'Ot
tlllo,' I stammered,
"'What?' ho asked, turning pale.
" 'Well, If you lovo her, you should
not liavo married mo,' i said. Tin
Prlnco wns like a ghost, nnd did not
know what to say. Ho sot on t
chair as if paralyzed and lsat oc
anothor. But I did not dare looi
nt tho bed.
" 'George. I am not going to stnnt"
thl,, I said. 'You keep your Ot
tille. Hut I leavo you!'
'"Ottllle.'ho mumbled faintly, an
staggered out of the room.
"Now I glanced at the bod. Th
woman and the pillow with the thre
droll of b"ood had vanisneii. L
was natural Hint 1 cmiM in steor
an;- moro in that hornoie bed.
Then, Leonora, the ohamoermald,
came nnd you mut me lit the mom
lug. Since that Georgo never cnni
in and Leonora told mo when bIio
brought fresh water, that tho Prlnci
had dressed himself in hunting cos
tumo nnd left nt night for the coun
try. What becamo of that terrlbl
woman, l do not know,"
The Princess finished and fell bueh
on hor Bent. Thero was no que
tlon thnt tho memory still hauntec
her. After a pause of a few minute
I said:
"Your Highness, I can't, believe
that theru really waB u woman Id
your bedroom."
"Oh, I huvo no doubt thnt it was
all a vision," sho admitted fnlnfly
"although at the moment when 1
oehold It I boliovQd it was nil real.
ity."
"But Your Hlghuoss, then the
Prlnco might bo altogether tnno
cent," I argued.
"Oh, no," sho objected. "'If ht
hail been Innocent ho would not have
acted as ha did. Ho was perfootly
bewildered at my knowing ot hit
secrets. That Is the reason ho left
tho palnco so suddenly, and why
ho would not see rae any more."
Dazed by tho strange story, I fell
back on my seat unable to say any
thing more. Since that day thi
Princess has remained with he)
mother, and the Priuce is taclturi
nnd gloomy. He refuses to mnk
any commeut or explanation.
J