in Booth, "supported by a
powerful company," was mouthing Shakespeare, and tearing passion to
tatters in the process; and a curious freak, billed as "Zoyara, the
Hermaphrodite" (with a "certificate of genuineness, as to her
equestrian skill and her virtues as a lady, from H.M. the King of
Sardinia") was cramming the circus to capacity every afternoon and
evening. Yet, notwithstanding His Majesty's "certificate," it is a
fact that its recipient "married" a woman member of the troupe. "The
long sustained deception has been dropped," says a paragraphist, "and
the young man who assumed the name of 'Madame Zoyara' is now to be
seen in correct masculine attire."

Still, despite all this, Lola kept her public. After all, a countess
was a countess. But, before long, there was a difference of opinion
with the manager of the theatre in which she was appearing. Lola, who
never brooked criticism, had "words" with him. High words, as it
happened; and, flourishing her whip in his face, she tore up her
contract and walked out of the building.

"Get somebody else," she said. "I'm through."

The difference of opinion appears to have arisen because Lola elected
to consider herself "insulted" by a member of the audience while she
was dancing, and the manager had not taken her part. The next evening,
accordingly, she made a speech in public, giving him a "bit of her
mind." The result was, declared the _San Francisco Alta_, "the
Countess came off the victor, bearing away the _bravas_ and bouquets.
At the conclusion of her address she was hailed by thunderous cheers,
amid which she smiled sweetly, dropped a curtsey, and retired
gracefully."

Much to their surprise, those who imagined that the honours of the
evening went to Lola read in the next issue of the _Californian_ that
"the applause was all sham, the paid enthusiasm of a hired house."
This was more than flesh and blood could stand. At any rate, it was
more than Lola could stand; and she sent the editor a fierce letter,
challenging him to a duel. "I must request," was its last passage,
"that this affair of honour be arranged by your seconds as soon as
possible, as my time is quite as valuable as your own: MARIE DE
LANDSFELD-HULL (LOLA MONTEZ)."

The editor of the _Californian_ did not accept the suggestion. Instead, he
applied the necessary balm, and the pistols-for-two-and-coffee-for-one
order was countermanded.

III

A woman of moods, when Lola made a change, it was a com