Harper's New Monthly Magazine: No. XVI.—September, 1851—Vol. III.Various
History
Harper's New Monthly Magazine: No. XVI.—September, 1851—Vol. III.
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
Soon he saw the coquette come out of her boudoir, and advance toward the
stranger with that voluptuous movement which imparts such a lively charm
to the walk of Spanish ladies, and which Fanny Ellsler reproduced with
so much grace, poetry, and felicity in those days, already growing
distant, when she danced at the Opera. I assure you that to see her
thus, this hideous creature was beautiful, gilded by the glorious beams
of her passion, and glistening with the halo of love. For his part, the
male did not show himself awkward, but made proof of his fashion and
gallantry his fore-feet caressed in a subduing manner the demi-curves
formed by his legs; a sub-lieutenant of hussars could not put more
foppery into the twisting of the conquering bends of his curled
mustache. He advanced toward her at a rapid pace, stamping with his
feet, strutting, fluttering; the lady recoiled and fled, but in such a
manner as to let him divine that she wished to be followed. The happy
lover sped on after her retreating steps. Nevertheless he began to
exhibit a singular reserve and fear, the evidence of which, however, was
unmistakable. On her part, the female waited for him with a cunning
which gave her eyes a strange expression. At length she turned her head
and walked right before him, preoccupied as it appeared, in getting rid
of some threads in which her feet were caught.
Then the male bounded on her, seized her in his arms, gave her a kiss,
and took to flight--she turned. It was no longer a bold coquette that
walked, it was a lioness that chases her prey; it was Diana before
Actæon. The male, all trembling, sought to fly; he attempted to climb
the sides of the vase. Vain efforts! Margaret of Burgundy advanced to
her victim; fascinated him; stopped him. The unfortunate one betook
himself to a corner trembling. She, her claw high and threatening as a
poinard, struck him, slew him, and, after having contemplated him, who
was but ere now her husband, she devoured him.
The observer, curious to learn the motives of so much barbarity, wished
to ascertain if the death of the poor male was the chastisement of a
personal fault, or the result of a system of assassination. He therefore
put another male into the vase. Alas! no room was left for doubt! the
crime of this cruel wife was without excuse, without extenuating
circumstances; the most humane jury must have condemned her with all the
aggravations foreseen by the law! The second victim shared the same fate
as the first. To this wretch, murder was a necessity after love. During
a whole month she lived on the corpses of her husbands.
While this month rolled on she was contented with devouring nothing but
the male spiders, which were thrown in. Soon after, however, she found
this dish palling and insipid, refused to eat, but not to kill them, and
returned to flies with an evident pleasure.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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