I lived and moved
through those last fevered hours in the lives of Dr. Kreener,
Tcheriapin, the violinist, and that other tragic figure around
whom the story centred. I append:
THE STRANGER'S STORY
I asked you (said the man in the caped coat) if you had ever seen
Tcheriapin, and you replied that you had once heard him play.
Having once heard him play you will not have forgotten him. At
that time, although war still raged, all musical London was
asking where he had come from and to what nation he belonged.
Then when he disappeared it was variously reported, you will
recall, that he had been shot as a spy and that he had escaped
from England and was serving with the Austrian army. As to his
parentage I can enlighten you in a measure. He was a Eurasian.
His father was an aristocratic Chinaman, and his mother a Polish
ballet-dancer--that was his parentage; but I would scarcely
hesitate to affirm that he came from Hell; and I shall presently
show you that he has certainly returned there.
You remember the strange stories current about him. The cunning
ones said that he had a clever press agent. This was true
enough. One of the most prominent agents in London discovered
him playing in a Paris cabaret.
Pages:
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259