"in my place he would have gone to bed and to sleep."

66

chard Alexis Constantine von Krudener. He was twenty years older than the bride. He had had the good fortune, among other To so weak and perverse a thing as the studies at Leipzig, to hear Gellert's lectures human heart, the idea of "not being underon Morality. Gellert interested himself in stood" was an excuse for future unfaithfulhim, and he was so industrious that among ness. A passion that a young man attached his fellow students he obtained the nick-to the embassy, Alexander von Stakieff, had name of the "scholar." After leaving the conceived for her did not prove a snare to university he was attaché to the Russian her because he voluntarily banished himself embassy at Madrid. At Paris he made the from her presence. After a residence of a acquaintance of J. J. Rousseau, and, after year and a half at Venice, Krudener was a few months' residence at Warsaw, he was appointed ambassador at Copenhagen, where entrusted by the Empress Catherine II. after a tour in Italy, he arrived in 1786. In with the office of Minister of Courland, the north, as well as in the south, the theatre which was an important one, as she was en- was the favourite diversion at the embassy. deavouring to incorporate this duchy with Von Stakieff again met with Madame de Russia. Krudener had already been twice Krudener here, and fled from her again, as married, and twice divorced. He had a he felt that his old passion for her revived son of nine years of age, who stood in need with fresh force. He wrote to Krudener: of a mother, but the girl of eighteen whom I honour her for her affection for you. he now married was not disposed for any- From the moment that you became less dear thing but worldly amusements. She ex- to her, she would be only an ordinary wopected from her husband, as she herself ex-man to me, and I should love her no more.' pressed it, all that could entertain her mind Krudener handed the letter to his wife, who and gratify her vanity, even if he could not was before in total ignorance of the attachsatisfy her heart. He seriously thought of ment of the fugitive; and her unconscious trying to supply the deficiencies of her edu- success induced her to enter upon the slipcation, but it gratified her vanity more to pery paths of endeavouring to please. Then dance, and to be seen at the theatre and in she was not understood." society. In 1784 the young wife bore a son Mental agitation occasioned an illness, to whom the Grand Duke Paul, afterwards and, a confinement occurring soon after, she Emperor, stood godfather, In the follow-nearly lost her life. She was ordered to ing year Krudener was appointed ambassa- the south of France, and left Copenhagen dor at Venice. His wife delighted in the in May, 1789, and went first to Paris. luxurious idle life in the wonderful city of Here she found the need of more mental the sea. One great occupation was fur- culture; she read the best works that French nished by the theatre which the ambassador literature afforded, and sought the society established in his own house, and in which of men of taste and science. She lived in other distinguished persons took part. Ma- the same house with Bernardin de St. Pierre, dame de Krudener received many attentions, the author of "Paul and Virginia,” and enbut at first she did not heed them. She joyed the charms of nature in his company; was truly attached to her husband, showed and, while she boasted of her taste for simhim all manner of little attentions, and when ple pleasures, she contracted a debt, to a he read to her in the evenings she forgot celebrated modiste, of 20,000 francs. the book in the reader.

In the spring they went to a charming estate in the country. One sultry day the Baron was out, and the lady was impatient of her solitude. A violent thunderstorm came on, and she became intensely anxious about her husband. Night came on, and, as he did not return, she could not rest. At midnight she sent her attendants to bed, became more and more alarmed, fancied she heard cries for help, and rushed out into the darkness to seek her husband. He soon arrived, and endeavoured to calm her, but reproached her with her terror, saying, "You should have gone to bed; you will kill yourself with this excitability." The words were kindly meant, but they sent a dagger into her heart."Ah!" she thought,

In December she left Paris, with her children, a governess, and an old professor of medicine; and, after visiting Avignon, they settled down at Montpellier. She next became the leader of fashion at Barèges. She sometimes sat at the gaming-table, and once electrified the guests by her reading of "Paul and Virginia" in the open air. On returning home they expressed regret at being no longer able to enjoy the summer night, and she planned a night-excursion which reminds one of the exuberant spirits of a party of students. On returning to Montpellier, she formed a fatal acquaintance with the Count de Fregeville-a young, handsome, and fascinating officer. Arrangements had been made for returning to Copenhagen, but a thousand hindrances

66

occurred, and she remained the winter. | Berlin,— where he was ambassador,— with The Count declared his love. She showed the best intentions of living quietly, but him the door; he threatened to kill himself; again drawn into the vortex of society, and and, just as in a bad French novel, a sinful striving to outshine others. But her want relation ensued. And when the governess, of peace within is indicated by such sayings Mademoiselle Piozet, who had kept Madame as this; People who would be inconsolade Krudener within bounds, was married to ble if they had brought any real misfortune a M. Armand, she was entirely without upon us, think it allowable to inflict all sorts protection. She resolved to go home, but of little annoyances which at last make a informed the Count of her intention, and mountain more difficult to climb than any he persuaded her that she could not travel real sorrow." without an escort. She had not the will to resist, and he accompanied her on the journey. She had given a false representation of the relation between them to her husband; but the nearer she got to him, the more loudly conscience began to accuse her. At length they met, and the wife confessed that the sanctity of the marriage tie had been violated. The husband received the announcement with dignified grief. Madame de Krudener prayed for a separation; but her husband would not agree to it, and allowed her to go to Riga to her mother. The Count accompanied her to Berlin, and then rushed into the tumult of war. The sin had made three mortals miserable, and brought about nothing but sep-so. aration.

With her mother the daughter found as much peace as can be found by a soul not yet sensible of its guilt. She nursed her father on his death-bed, and wrote frequently to Madame Armand, and a desire for the peace of God may plainly be traced in her letters. She wrote: "God has supported me, religion has tempered my bitter grief, and I am more disposed for solitude and seclusion from the world."

At Riga she saw Alexander von Stakieff again. He learnt what had occurred, and, as he had before said, all his interest in her vanished. On receiving this, she began to feel the pangs of remorse. But more than ten years went by before she came as a poor sinner to the feet of the Saviour.

We will not enter into many details of this painful time. She met her husband at St. Petersburg. He received her with forgiving kindness, and she was not wanting in humility. At Berlin, whither she had gone on account of her health in 1792, she inet Madame Armand, her best friend; but, not being able to withstand being drawn into society, she retired to Leipzig. In 1794, we find her again at Riga, and in 1796, travelling in Germany and in Switzerland. At Lausanne she shone in the society of the French emigrants.

We pass rapidly over the next few years, passed in Switzerland and Germany, until, in 1800, we find her with her husband in

Vanity under a garb of religion is plainly shown by her ascribing all the honours which are accorded to her husband to her return to him, and she considered herself his guardian angel. She says: "I think that God has blessed my husband on account of our re-union. There is no favour or success which has not been granted him. Why should I not believe that such favour is accorded to a pious heart which prays heaven in simplicity and confidence to assist him in striving to attain a higher happiness?"

It would have been very different if this had been the result of sincere Christian zeal, but very much was wanting to make it In the summer of 1801, Madame de Krudener went to Töplitz. Her stay there did her so much good mentally and physically, that she thought with terror of returning to Berlin, and informed her husband that she wished to travel in Switzerland, but set off without waiting for his answer. At Geneva she received his letter, and found that he highly disapproved of the journey. "I confess," he wrote, "that I had not feared another separation. You cannot conceal from yourself how prejudicial it is to the happiness and interests of our children, and I tell you with the plainness that our friendship demands, that duty has assigned you a place in the bosom of your family. You appear to think your absence a source of economy, as if keeping up two establishments instead of one could possibly be economical."

At Coppet she met with Madame de Staël, and at Paris formed an intimate acquaintance with Chateaubriand, who sent her a copy of his "Génie du Christianisme" two days before it was published, an honour of which she was in the highest degree sensible. These literary acquaintances stimulated her to carry out some literary projects she had herself formed. But in the midst of these occupations, she received the news of the sudden death of her husband of apoplexy, in June, 1802. Here was a fearful chastisement for her neglect of her duties, in order that she might roam about the world at her pleasure. She had been

"in my place he would have gone to bed and to sleep.'

chard Alexis Constantine von Krudener. He was twenty years older than the bride. He had had the good fortune, among other To so weak and perverse a thing as the studies at Leipzig, to hear Gellert's lectures human heart, the idea of "not being underon Morality. Gellert interested himself in stood" was an excuse for future unfaithfulhim, and he was so industrious that among ness. A passion that a young man attached his fellow students he obtained the nick-to the embassy, Alexander von Stakieff, had name of the "scholar." After leaving the conceived for her did not prove a snare to university he was attaché to the Russian her because he voluntarily banished himself embassy at Madrid. At Paris he made the from her presence. After a residence of a acquaintance of J. J. Rousseau, and, after year and a half at Venice, Krudener was a few months' residence at Warsaw, he was appointed ambassador at Copenhagen, where entrusted by the Empress Catherine II. after a tour in Italy, he arrived in 1786. In with the office of Minister of Courland, the north, as well as in the south, the theatre which was an important one, as she was en- was the favourite diversion at the embassy. deavouring to incorporate this duchy with Von Stakieff again met with Madame de Russia. Krudener had already been twice Krudener here, and fled from her again, as married, and twice divorced. He had a he felt that his old passion for her revived son of nine years of age, who stood in need with fresh force. He wrote to Krudener: of a mother, but the girl of eighteen whom "I honour her for her affection for you. he now married was not disposed for any- From the moment that you became less dear thing but worldly amusements. She ex- to her, she would be only an ordinary wopected from her husband, as she herself ex-man to me, and I should love her no more." pressed it, all that could entertain her mind and gratify her vanity, even if he could not satisfy her heart. He seriously thought of trying to supply the deficiencies of her education, but it gratified her vanity more to dance, and to be seen at the theatre and in society. In 1784 the young wife bore a son Mental agitation occasioned an illness, to whom the Grand Duke Paul, afterwards and, a confinement occurring soon after, she Emperor, stood godfather. In the follow-nearly lost her life. She was ordered to ing year Krudener was appointed ambassa- the south of France, and left Copenhagen dor at Venice. His wife delighted in the in May, 1789, and went first to Paris. luxurious idle life in the wonderful city of Here she found the need of more mental the sea. One great occupation was fur-culture; she read the best works that French nished by the theatre which the ambassador established in his own house, and in which other distinguished persons took part. Madame de Krudener received many attentions, but at first she did not heed them. She was truly attached to her husband, showed him all manner of little attentions, and when he read to her in the evenings she forgot the book in the reader.

In the spring they went to a charming estate in the country. One sultry day the Baron was out, and the lady was impatient of her solitude. A violent thunderstorm came on, and she became intensely anxious about her husband. Night came on, and, as he did not return, she could not rest. At midnight she sent her attendants to bed, became more and more alarmed, fancied she heard cries for help, and rushed out into the darkness to seek her husband. He soon arrived, and endeavoured to calm her, but reproached her with her terror, saying, "You should have gone to bed; you will kill yourself with this excitability." The words were kindly meant, but they sent a dagger into her heart. · Ah!” she thought,

Krudener handed the letter to his wife, who was before in total ignorance of the attachment of the fugitive; and her unconscious success induced her to enter upon the slippery paths of endeavouring to please. Then she was 66 not understood."

literature afforded, and sought the society of men of taste and science. She lived in the same house with Bernardin de St. Pierre, the author of "Paul and Virginia," and enjoyed the charms of nature in his company; and, while she boasted of her taste for simple pleasures, she contracted a debt, to a celebrated modiste, of 20,000 francs.

In December she left Paris, with her children, a governess, and an old professor of medicine; and, after visiting Avignon, they settled down at Montpellier. She next became the leader of fashion at Barèges. She sometimes sat at the gaming-table, and once electrified the guests by her reading of "Paul and Virginia" in the open air. On returning home they expressed regret at being no longer able to enjoy the summer night, and she planned a night-excursion which reminds one of the exuberant spirits of a party of students. On returning to Montpellier, she formed a fatal acquaintance with the Count de Fregeville-a young, handsome, and fascinating officer. Arrangements had been made for returning to Copenhagen, but a thousand hindrances

occurred, and she remained the winter. | Berlin, where he was ambassador,- with The Count declared his love. She showed the best intentions of living quietly, but him the door; he threatened to kill himself; again drawn into the vortex of society, and and, just as in a bad French novel, a sinful striving to outshine others. But her want relation ensued. And when the governess, of peace within is indicated by such sayings Mademoiselle Piozet, who had kept Madame as this; "People who would be inconsolade Krudener within bounds, was married to ble if they had brought any real misfortune a M. Armand, she was entirely without upon us, think it allowable to inflict all sorts protection. She resolved to go home, but of little annoyances which at last make a informed the Count of her intention, and mountain more difficult to climb than any he persuaded her that she could not travel real sorrow." without an escort. She had not the will to resist, and he accompanied her on the journey. She had given a false representation of the relation between them to her husband; but the nearer she got to him, the more loudly conscience began to accuse her. At length they met, and the wife confessed that the sanctity of the marriage tie had been violated. The husband received the announcement with dignified grief. Madame de Krudener prayed for a separation; but her husband would not agree to it, and allowed her to go to Riga to her mother. The Count accompanied her to Berlin, and then rushed into the tumult of war. The sin had made three mortals miserable, and brought about nothing but separation.

With her mother the daughter found as much peace as can be found by a soul not yet sensible of its guilt. She nursed her father on his death-bed, and wrote frequently to Madame Armand, and a desire for the peace of God may plainly be traced in her letters. She wrote: "God has supported me, religion has tempered my bitter grief, and I am more disposed for solitude and seclusion from the world."

At Riga she saw Alexander von Stakieff again. He learnt what had occurred, and, as he had before said, all his interest in her vanished. On receiving this, she began to feel the pangs of remorse. But more than ten years went by before she came as a poor sinner to the feet of the Saviour.

We will not enter into many details of this painful time. She met her husband at St. Petersburg. He received her with forgiving kindness, and she was not wanting in humility. At Berlin, whither she had gone on account of her health in 1792, she met Madame Armand, her best friend; but, not being able to withstand being drawn into society, she retired to Leipzig. In 1794, we find her again at Riga, and in 1796, travelling in Germany and in Switzerland. At Lausanne she shone in the society of the French emigrants.

We pass rapidly over the next few years, passed in Switzerland and Germany, until, in 1800, we find her with her husband in

Vanity under a garb of religion is plainly shown by her ascribing all the honours which are accorded to her husband to her return to him, and she considered herself his guardian angel. She says: "I think that God has blessed my husband on account of our re-union. There is no favour or success which has not been granted him. Why should I not believe that such favour is accorded to a pious heart which ́ prays heaven in simplicity and confidence to assist him in striving to attain a higher happiness ?"

It would have been very different if this had been the result of sincere Christian zeal, but very much was wanting to make it so. In the summer of 1801, Madame de Krudener went to Töplitz. Her stay there did her so much good mentally and physically, that she thought with terror of returning to Berlin, and informed her husband that she wished to travel in Switzerland, but set off without waiting for his answer. At Geneva she received his letter, and found that he highly disapproved of the journey. "I confess," he wrote, "that I had not feared another separation. You cannot conceal from yourself how prejudicial it is to the happiness and interests of our children, and I tell you with the plainness that our friendship demands, that duty has assigned you a place in the bosom of your family. You appear to think your absence a source of economy, as if keeping up two establishments instead of one could possibly be economical.”

At Coppet she met with Madame de Staël, and at Paris formed an intimate acquaintance with Chateaubriand, who sent her a copy of his "Génie du Christianisme" two days before it was published, an honour of which she was in the highest degree sensible. These literary acquaintances stimulated her to carry out some literary projects she had herself formed. But in the midst of these occupations, she received the news of the sudden death of her husband of apoplexy, in June, 1802. Here was a fearful chastisement for her neglect of her duties, in order that she might roam about the world at her pleasure. She had been

in my place he would have gone to bed and to sleep."

chard Alexis Constantine von Krudener. He was twenty years older than the bride. He had had the good fortune, among other To so weak and perverse a thing as the studies at Leipzig, to hear Gellert's lectures human heart, the idea of "not being underon Morality. Gellert interested himself in stood" was an excuse for future unfaithfulhim, and he was so industrious that among ness. A passion that a young man attached his fellow students he obtained the nick-to the embassy, Alexander von Stakieff, had name of the "scholar." After leaving the conceived for her did not prove a snare to university he was attaché to the Russian her because he voluntarily banished himself embassy at Madrid. At Paris he made the from her presence. After a residence of a acquaintance of J. J. Rousseau, and, after year and a half at Venice, Krudener was a few months' residence at Warsaw, he was appointed ambassador at Copenhagen, where entrusted by the Empress Catherine II. after a tour in Italy, he arrived in 1786. In with the office of Minister of Courland, the north, as well as in the south, the theatre which was an important one, as she was en- was the favourite diversion at the embassy. deavouring to incorporate this duchy with Von Stakieff again met with Madame de Russia. Krudener had already been twice Krudener here, and fled from her again, as married, and twice divorced. He had a he felt that his old passion for her revived son of nine years of age, who stood in need with fresh force. He wrote to Krudener: of a mother, but the girl of eighteen whom "I honour her for her affection for you. he now married was not disposed for any- From the moment that you became less dear thing but worldly amusements. She ex- to her, she would be only an ordinary wopected from her husband, as she herself ex-man to me, and I should love her no more." pressed it, all that could entertain her mind and gratify her vanity, even if he could not satisfy her heart. He seriously thought of trying to supply the deficiencies of her education, but it gratified her vanity more to dance, and to be seen at the theatre and in society. In 1784 the young wife bore a son Mental agitation occasioned an illness, to whom the Grand Duke Paul, afterwards and, a confinement occurring soon after, she Emperor, stood godfather. In the follow-nearly lost her life. She was ordered to ing year Krudener was appointed ambassa- the south of France, and left Copenhagen dor at Venice. His wife delighted in the luxurious idle life in the wonderful city of the sea. One great occupation was furnished by the theatre which the ambassador established in his own house, and in which other distinguished persons took part. Madame de Krudener received many attentions, but at first she did not heed them. She was truly attached to her husband, showed him all manner of little attentions, and when he read to her in the evenings she forgot the book in the reader.

In the spring they went to a charming estate in the country. One sultry day the Baron was out, and the lady was impatient of her solitude. A violent thunderstorm came on, and she became intensely anxious about her husband. Night came on, and, as he did not return, she could not rest. At midnight she sent her attendants to bed, became more and more alarmed, fancied she heard cries for help, and rushed out into the darkness to seek her husband. He soon arrived, and endeavoured to calm her, but reproached her with her terror, saying, "You should have gone to bed; you will kill yourself with this excitability." The words were kindly meant, but they sent a dagger into her heart. "Ah!" she thought,

Krudener handed the letter to his wife, who was before in total ignorance of the attachment of the fugitive; and her unconscious success induced her to enter upon the slippery paths of endeavouring to please. Then she was "not understood."

in May, 1789, and went first to Paris. Here she found the need of more mental culture; she read the best works that French literature afforded, and sought the society of men of taste and science. She lived in the same house with Bernardin de St. Pierre, the author of "Paul and Virginia," and enjoyed the charms of nature in his company; and, while she boasted of her taste for simple pleasures, she contracted a debt, to a celebrated modiste, of 20,000 francs.

In December she left Paris, with her children, a governess, and an old professor of medicine; and, after visiting Avignon, they settled down at Montpellier. She next became the leader of fashion at Barèges. She sometimes sat at the gaming-table, and once electrified the guests by her reading of "Paul and Virginia" in the open air. On returning home they expressed regret at being no longer able to enjoy the summer night, and she planned a night-excursion which reminds one of the exuberant spirits of a party of students. On returning to Montpellier, she formed a fatal acquaintance with the Count de Fregeville-a young, handsome, and fascinating officer. Arrangements had been made for returning to Copenhagen, but a thousand hindrances