AUTHOR: “A very unpalatable adventure of which her husband was the hero ... broke the last restraint upon her indignation, and, without informing anybody of her intentions, she hurriedly left the imperial palace of Vienna for Trieste, and set sail for the Ionian Islands on board her yacht, fully resolved never to allow her husband to approach her or to speak to her again.” COMMENTATOR: “She had no yacht of her own at that time, and travelled with the consent of the Emperor. Her brother accompanied her to Trieste.” * * * * * AUTHOR: “In the summer following Baby Valérie’s birth, the Empress spent several months with the Crown Prince and his two sisters.” COMMENTATOR: “Baby Valérie was quite separated from the others, the Empress being very jealous about Valérie. Gisela and Rudolph were mostly kept in Laxenburg.” * * * * * AUTHOR: “Elizabeth walked over to a large harmonium which stood near the open window. She sat down before it, and after striking a few chords which echoed through the stillness of the chamber, she sang Schubert’s ‘Serenade.’ She was a great musician.” COMMENTATOR: “The Empress never touched a harmonium nor a piano. She was not a bit musical, and _never_ sang.” * * * * * AUTHOR: “‘Rudi,’ who was watching them, said suddenly——” COMMENTATOR: “The Crown Prince was never called ‘Rudi,’ always ‘Rudolph.’ His pet name was ‘Nazi.’” * * * * * AUTHOR: “‘Mutzerl,’ as Baby Valérie was called——” COMMENTATOR: “Valérie was never called ‘Mutzerl,’ but ‘Shedvesen,’ by her mother. It means ‘darling.’” * * * * * AUTHOR: “Valérie ... swam like an otter, rode almost as well as her mother, fenced and shot with great skill.” COMMENTATOR: “Valérie never learnt to ride, as the Empress would not allow it, and never fenced or shot.” * * * * * AUTHOR: “She was riding alone on that day.” COMMENTATOR: “The Empress _never_ went out riding alone.” * * * * * AUTHOR: “‘My poor boy! my poor boy!’ she kept repeating. ‘I am afraid you do not realise what misery such a marriage as that which you are about to make can bring about!’” COMMENTATOR: “To _me_ the Empress said, ‘Let him marry whom he likes. I don’t mix myself up in Rudolph’s affairs.’” * * * * * AUTHOR: “That Rudolph met Marie Vetsera and her mother in London and called upon them several times is quite certain.” COMMENTATOR: “Rudolph never met the Vetseras in London.” AUTHOR: “Mademoiselle Ferenzy read to her from English, French, and Hungarian books.” COMMENTATOR: “Mademoiselle Ferenzy could only read Hungarian.”