103 



The Card-player,* ii. 157, will again cause some 

 excitement in the neighbourhood of my " hill." I 

 think, however, I discover symptoms of a milder 

 tone, of which one certainly does not like to be 

 reminded. The phrase, " this miserable wretch" has, I 

 think, disappeared. You see that I read you with 

 pleasure, and yet not exactly out of fear alone. 



A. v. HT. 



We have as yet had no conversation about Custine's 

 book. The first volume, as an eloquent, spirited de- 

 scription (dramatic, indeed!) was most successful. How 

 thoroughly annoying such a book must be even to 

 those who despise the idea of justifying their conduct. 

 11 y a dcs longueurs de declamations, a certain rheto- 

 rical shade, which wearies. I think the publication of 

 that more than tragic letter (Princess Trubetzkoi's) was 

 very wrong.f Independently of the irritation that pub- 

 lishing it must necessarily create, there was still room 

 to hope matters might be accommodated by a fresh 

 petition. 



What right has any one to play so desperate a 

 game to take life itself? A further terror for me is 

 the literary worship paid to the scribblings of Madame 

 Girardin and Madame Gay. Such worship might 

 perhaps be pardoned in a lovely Grand Duchess, j 



* Czechtitzky, celebrated at Berlin as an actor and billiard-player. When 

 he could not any longer find persons to play with him he took to card-playing, 

 in which he got equally skilled and won enormous sums of money. It is re- 

 lated of him by Varnhagen that in order to revise the expression : " Sich im 

 Golde walzen" (rolling in money), he covered his floor with gold pieces, and, 

 in the presence of witnesses, absolutely rolled about upon them in a state of 

 nudity. Fortune forsook him at length, and he used to beg persons to spit 

 in his face ; for though he had rolled in money, he had lost it all. Tu. 



f The sad story of the Princess Trubetzkoi is too well known, through the 

 Marquis de Custine's book, to need recapitulation. TK. 

 The Grand Duchess Helene. TE. 



