My Austrian Love

? I don't know. But there is

"there is going to be an attack. Th

uietly and begin

that the Germans are very Hun-wise. I

puns it is a sign that

d into our trenches, they make a Hun-believabl

ine how bored one is during the long hours of waiting between attacks, but the an

something more?" f

trenches because of the booming of the guns which will never keep time-and to mamma that nothing was easier than to avoid the shells; she need not know that th

a rather Hun-maidenly manner. To call in the middle of the night upon a young, Hun-married man, with her hair Hun-done! I am afra

not think that anything in my

hat did you thin

t have done so without some necessity. Her fear had been great, to judge from her wide eyes an

s Hun-avoidable! An

But, above all, above my surprise, my joy, and my desire, there was apprehension lest her father should have noticed her absence, lest her step, in spite of its lightness, should hav

ling around you for the first time and felt the wind caused by the shells.

e since my arrival in his house that Doblana was to be absent for several hours. And, while on the two previous days he had

e been Hun-c

d a piece of note paper was pushed through the split at the bottom of the door into the salon. At once I r

'Yes.'-'Are you alone?'-'Ye

. It was

tter I have pushed under the door. R

was no answer. So I read the le

through the door. But you may trust Fanny. She will

s signed

el to myself, namely, how Fanny and I conspired to call in a locksmith who promised to make a key within two hours, but forgot to tell us that t

ary like that, nothing can make him follow other people's thoughts. But he makes no secrets of his ideas, and sooner o

y he ju

mly believe that I will

he has purchased an officer's kit. Twice he ha

s that belief c

l. Well, it has occurred to me that I might try the same trick for obtaining my commis

t doubtfully, "but how

mnly, "is of course a se

rstand me, if I stat

oman at the b

when he does, it is the noisiest laugh in the world. Develish we call it. It is indeed a terrific lau

woman at the bottom of it-no! The

e had been waiting for during an hour. In single

many such descriptions in the papers and do not want another. Secondly, I could not depict the attack, because I had another business than that of observing, Lan

near us and being beaten back. And I

able, tedious work, but also a Hun-Christian one mocking the Mass and acceptable only from the Hun's point of view, as Pan-Germanic propag

cial language nobody can understand (for it is crammed with chemical formulas), starts a great sniffing

ulphuric acid, and what he smells is in reality cabb

he accompanies with fits of his devilish laughter. When a shell bursts near us without hurting

e by his side. There is a periscope and

throws anothe

ha!" he laughs, "on

ce one," state

mmission, Sir?

Colonel's periscope is smashed by some unki

no coward, at once c

oing there, sir

ans

killed in

ans

s madness!

d in the noise, probably "Shut up!" and stands there a

hunders Charlie, "

round and shouts so strong

court-martial

instant Charli

n't come down at once I'll t

drags him down to relative safety.

ndering. A big shell, a Jack Johnson, falls in our trench. There is a terrific explos

lthough we were all shaki

white as a corpse, save for the blood that cover

water,

Guncotton

2O

Nobody utters a word while poor Charlie's nose i

nd laughing. Poor fellow, h

he is a very reli

have mercy u

uses him, or is it the effect of the fr

I am quite Hun-hurt!" and laughs

ght, although, I repe

me once more. So I return to Vienna and to Mitzi Doblana, w

en at last I had secured the key, which was to be not only the means of opening that hostile door but also of solving a mystery, my landlord had no long rehearsal for another coup

iting is the right thing to inflame it, namely, the heart. Therefore, when finally we met, fancy my joy as I

f into the bargain. I need not tell you that I paid myself heartily and that, while I was kissing that loveable hand I kissed it thoroughly. It

le reader: P. C., go

it is not my, but

ranslate it by Pussy, for it is used equally for cats and girls, whic

er asking me questions about the Salzburg trip. How could he hav

had feared such a thing. It

I will be released. My father will then present us to each other, and I

will not make the

suppose that you wish t

eel curious. But I will

y that I am prepared to give you an explanation, but because I hop

y by insinuating that her belief in my capacities was in any way justified. But I must state one thing: My heart leaped up. Not on

gin at the

be pleased with this young la

singer, though my father strongly objects. This is strange, as mother herself was a singer. Yet, strange as it may seem, there is a reason

I thought best

laimed Mitzi. "But then-then-the

Young, etc., et

ingly beautiful and clever, and famous for

hesi

trying by my ques

and finished her se

able that you never should have heard of her

doubt, remember that name Alphons Hector. And you will say: Alphons Hector, that

bad one. When I heard Miss Mitzi pronouncing these two names "

he wanted to marry her, how the Emperor frustrated that plan, is a story which

was not a

ot in the Eng

h things matrimonial, except whe

itzi l

uessed our connexion with royalty, had not my mother when I was nine decided to send me to a certain high-class school, which cou

e at the mention of the dancer's

ee years and the girl ten months. They were called Franz von Heidenbrunn and Augusta von Heidenbrunn

nt, should climb up into his modest apartment of the Karlsgasse. They-the Archduke and my father-became even friendly enough to collaborate in a ballet-it was called Fata Morgana-and I suspect that my aunt Kathi had a finger in the pie. However, what was bound to happen occurred whe

ildren, and if he did not act in the same way with the Archduke it was only because he had not the courage to do so. Yet the result was the same: the Archduke, too,

i died, and her children l

" sa

ressing my pleasure of finding my way through her story, or my sorro

er prayer, although I believe that he loved her dearly. The Archduke on his side made a step towards peace and proposed to father another collaboration. They are writing another ballet together, w

, "I see what you we

s if to say that a mere man w

uent anybody belonging to the theatrical world. And if I am taking singing less

cru

ve a cry. If I had dared I would have taken her into my arms and would have told her ... I knew not what. One has

have some talent and could make a successful operatic s

fat Hungarian with diamo

he not a charming man? So full of wit,

by Miss Doblana with my own, as reported in chapter three, and to j

eyes shone while she was speaking, "Mr. Giulay says I have

voice, as though she we

seen m

moment as in a drea

ot know that he was leaving me alone in charge of the house; for Fanny had begged of me to let her go and see her dying mother. Each time she wants to see her young man her mother becomes gravely ill; and although I am well aware that her mother died a good many years ago I let Fanny depart, because otherwise she becomes

meet me to-morrow evening six

out and pawned my ring. A nice ring my mother had given me. I am ashamed to tell you how little they gave me for it. It was not eve

urday morning I went to the Western Station, took my ticket and departed. N

had said anything it would have been to tell her that I was not astonished. I knew that I did not li

xt day I returned home half angry and puzzled, and half amused at my childish eagerness. Surely Giulay would give me an

hy?" I

her to call me friend!) "I don't

r must have giv

has

gry for your havin

s not k

is

d me. A quarter of an hour later my father arrived. He had had a splendid success and seemed very happy. He kissed me and was absolutely as usual. We ha

hich I scarcely recognized. "Who

while he evidently knew nothing, and that I would be confined to my room until I had t

you c

w what has happened, nor

r that has any meaning in Chemistry.) "Her

hat Charl

entioned in dispatches. I once had a brother called Friedrich Wilhelm. He was menti

ou

arl

uch faith as brav