Frightened half out of my wits, I entered the palace only to find that my presence was needed, not by the man who had written the letter, but by the emperor himself.
Now it must be remembered that I visited the Court of Austria at a time when the whole country had gone mad over some sort or other of cult, free-love cults being more in vogue than any known other.
Presiding over the court was a Duc (it is best to hide his name), who was considered by everyone as a leader in this cult craze. It was also whispered that he was, besides being a despoiler of maidenheads, a man-lover with several handsome young men he kept about the court for his special entertainment when he was so moved.
I had learned, too, that the court ladies were made up of the prettiest women in Belgrade, that their love affairs were carried on under the very eyes of the emperor who sanctioned it, and that they were maintained within the summer palace chiefly due to their unusual beauty and because of their willingness to adapt to the unusual undress worn by the ladies of the court.
At last, after a ten-minute wait, I was delivered into the hands of the famous Duc. I found him charming enough, and had it not been for the fact that I already had a lover, I could have fallen in love with him.
Finally, after leading up to the subject by degrees, he said, “Our emperor is planning a great ball at the summer palace here and desires your esteemed presence. Having heard your remarkable voice and witnessed one of your performances as Juliette some time ago, he is desirous of having you as part of his entertainment.” After a short pause, as though he were waiting for this to sink in, he continued. “You have no objection to appearing in such a scene wearing your stage costume?"
I smiled at this. “Why-I don't know,” I answered. “The costume you refer to is-well, rather, what shall we say-brief, and I'm afraid such a costume would hardly do for a private theatrical. You see…"
"That,” he interrupted me, “is the very reason our emperor desires your presence. The costume, as you refer to it, should, if you wish to please our monarch, be even more brief."
I laughed outright this time. “Then I'm afraid it will be a near thing,” I answered. “If I were to wear any less, I'm afraid the emperor would have me thrown out."
"The emperor would enjoy it if you would consent to appear in the nude."
"And where is this entertainment to be held?” I asked.
He seemed to take this question as an acceptance on my part, for he said, “The performance is to be held here in the palace. Your partner-Romeo, if you prefer-is a handsome young actor, and a great favorite of the emperor. You will like him, I'm sure."
"And his costume?” I asked, smiling.
Instead of answering this directly, he reached over and patted my hand in an affectionate manner, then: “You do not seem to understand our emperor, my dear. We have at the moment the Russian Ballet, consisting of sixty members; an act consisting of fifteen persons; a comedy act consisting of six more, and they all perform in the nude. Does that shock you, my dear?"
I laughed. “Pardon me,” I said. “I wasn't laughing at that; I was just thinking how strange I would look wearing a costume, when the others perform stark naked. I would be out of place."
"Then it's agreed?” he asked, leaning across the table.
I shrugged my shoulders. “Is one in the habit of denying your emperor?"
He seemed to take this question as acceptance.
The Duc, I mention here, was a Frenchman, his close connection with the nobility having been brought about by his willingness and eagerness to seek out and provide the most startling entertainment for the court. Knowing the vast hordes of beautiful women about the palace were nothing more or less than whores who, like the emperor and his right-hand man, the Duc, were more than willing to do their part toward assisting in the scandal forever creeping out to a suffering public, I became more bold. I said, “I would prefer not to attend alone. You have no objection to my lover escorting me to and from the palace?” This was part suggestion and part question.
He pouted, inclining his head. “Is it necessary?” he asked. “You are expected to assist in the private entertainment for our emperor, after your formal appearance, and-well, wouldn't the presence of your lover, as you prefer to refer to him, be somewhat uncomfortable?"
Such, my friend, was the state of affairs one found within the “circle” during those days.
Without going further into the details of the whole affair, let me close this part of the history by saying that I attended the “party” in honor of the emperor, and that two days afterward, Ferry and I made a timely exit from the fashionable city, to the great disappointment of the entire court.
We had intended on spending a few more days there, but, as I have said, we thought it best to leave. It wasn't that I objected to the attention paid me; it was because I knew it hurt Ferry.
And because there are other things to relate, events of far greater importance to tell you, let us skip all this and take up the thread of the story as to what happened a few days later.
We crossed the border into Serbia, and while the court here was no less impure than that of Austria, there was far less scandal and gossip.
Wishing to be alone for a change, we took a charming villa in a quiet section of the city. Close to the river Danube, we found it a delightful spot, and here we spent several weeks, and they were, I believe, the most pleasant I had ever experienced.
We journeyed into Bulgaria, stopping here and there, enjoying the country and its restful climate. But now Ferry became restless. Something was on his mind. “I'm worried,” he said in answer to my questions. “Today I saw an agent connected with the secret police of the Austrian government."
"But what shall we do?” I asked, now a little worried. We had done nothing to arouse the dislike of these people. I expressed my thoughts to Ferry. “You don't understand,” he said. “It is not what we have done; it's what you haven't done."
"Me?” I asked, surprised.
"Yes,” he answered. “Yon don't know it my dear, but our friend, the emperor, was disappointed with your sudden departure from the summer palace, and he's not one to be brooked in his desires. Tomorrow we leave for Rumania. I have friends there."
That night, lying in each other's arms, we talked of all this.
He told me of a wonderful people he had met in the mountains and how I would love them. They were Gypsies, he said, and though they were known outlaws and were almost constantly sought by the police, they were a friendly, kind, and generous people. He had met them while busily engaged in writing a book, and though he had been held somewhat apart from the group, one day he rescued the young son of one of the chiefs of the tribe, and as a result, he had been accepted as a “blood brother” and was always welcome. “Besides,” he said, holding me close and kissing passionately my lips and eyes, “you will find them the greatest lovers in the world."
I laughed. “And what would I do with lovers?” I asked. “Haven't I you? And did I not run away from wealth and royalty so that you alone would possess me?"
"And didn't you give me Rose?” he countered. “Did you not allow me to satisfy my desires between her snowy thighs, just to make me happy? Oh, no, dear, it is my turn now. Once we get into the mountain fastness of these people and are conducted to their camp, I want you to indulge yourself to your heart's content."
Then he gave me a detailed description of their mode of living; their habits and loves; how they lived and openly practiced free love; and how I would be expected to adapt to their methods of living. He told me they were the most beautiful people on earth; how, contrary to popular belief, they practiced sanitation in all its phases; and how upon entering their fastness one must sacrifice himself, or herself, to some member of the opposite sex, as this was the only manner in which they could be positive of one's loyalty to them.