The Saint-Germain Chronicles by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro (CQY) are a series of imaginary letters and short stories that fill in any gaps in the many novels she has penned about the debonair and quite popular vampire. This vampire does it for love and his love is centuries old and undying.
The opening letter from Saint-Germain to Madelaine fills us in on what happened after the climax of Hotel Transylvania, which I reviewed at that “E” site (that we can’t mention here) under the same name I use on Mouthshut.com. Saint-Germain is in Switzerland, Madelaine is still in France. The letter is full of advice and hope. He sends a pair of diamond earrings to remind her of his love.
The Spider Glass:
This is a tale told to guests at the English Country house of the ninth Earl of Copeshaw. It’s about a 300-year-old Venetian looking glass that someone comments on. We get the family history of the women back to Aunt Sabrina, who was born in the late 1500s and it is on her that the whole story pivots.
Lord Charles keeps sipping his port and stretching out the story to the dismay of his guests. His nine times great aunt was the one who met Saint-Germain . . . or rather, he saved her and her family from certain death from the Bubonic Plague. She remained as his servant and was given the mirror as a gift. S-G tells her that “when she can see the spider in the glass, he would come for her. You will be surprised by who the sixth guest sees . . . or doesn’t see in that old mirror!
The next two letters are written to Earl Copeshaw twenty-five years apart. They are both from S-G. The first is dated 1911 and is from Sweden. It deals with investments. The second is from Spain and is dated 1936 and mentions GB Shaw, the Great War, the Versailles Treaty and his manservant Roger.
Renewal:
James Emmerson, a wounded WW II Soldier stumbles up to the gates of a Madelaine’s chateau; he had been her lover. He doesn’t realize it but he’s been killed in the war and has arisen. S-G helps him to understand what has happened and helps him to readjust. So does Mirelle, who offers herself as blood donor to both men. This is a great story and we learn a lot about what makes vampires work . . . or not!
Next is a letter from Switzerland written in 1950 to Robert, S-G’s manservant. S-G asks that all his alchemy things be sent to Italy. There is talk of “revolutionary” ceramic experiments that are as “old as the Great Art itself.” The next letter is two years later and is from Italy to a Professor at Columbia University. It discusses those ceramic experiments . . . and atomic research.
Art Songs:
The Baronessa Alexis dalla Piaggia happens to be American, it’s her husband who has the title. She is escorted by Francesco Ragoczy (one of SG’s aliases) and she gives him an earful about the communists searches led by Wisconsin’s infamous Senator, Joe McCarthy. They meet a Greek during intermission; he’s with a very lovely young lady . . . it’s Madelaine. The Art Songs are printed in German, Italian and French with no translations.
Next is a letter of February 1975 to Emmerson in Canada regarding Madelaine’s travel arrangements.; Saint-Germain is amazed by telephones, telegraphs and satellites. The rest of the letter concerns the risk of being detected, how easy it used to be to move to a new location and the need to establish numerous aliases. There’s also the problem of traveling with the sacks and crates of “native earth” that each vampire must have. SG is working on the problem in his lab.
We read another letter, this one to his manservant, now known as Mr. Rogers. It’s dated 1969 and is from Jugoslavia (le Comte’s spelling). He is located a hotel in Phoenix, Arizona, and is instructed to make a large purchase and use only the American bank accounts. S-G will be in the USA before the summer is out.
Seat Partner:
A young American coed has taken the window seat on the TWA flight that Saint-Germain is taking to the States. SG smoothes it all over in gentlemanly fashion. He’s grateful to have the aisle seat because of his fear of water and flying. The girl is going back to Iowa . . . “to teach, I guess.” She doesn’t look forward to her dull existence; she said she never even got to see Castle Dracula.
This gets S-G’s attention and he finds out she’s cuckoo for vampires: books, movies, everything. She likes to fantasize about them and here she is sitting next to a real one. She learns a lot about them and so will you. S-G tells her, “I feel you would rather explore castles in Europe than teach English in Des Moines.” She agrees and they continue to talk until they land at Kennedy Airport. She agrees to have dinner with him . . . or is she to be dinner?
Two letters follow, they are from the States and the first is dated 1971. It’s from New Mexicoand is to Emmerson in Tasmania. S-G is commiserating with him on the loss of a lady-love. The next letter is dated 1978 and is from Lost Saints Lodge in Colorado. It is to the great-grandson of Charles Whittenfield (of the first story) and deals with selling off of property. S-G wants that Venetian mirror; it’s his after all.
Cabin 33:
Le Comte de Saint-Germain has opened a lodge in the mountains of Colorado. “In the winter there are skiers, and in the summer the place is full of well-to-do families. “ Almost everyone is here: le Comte as Mr. Franciscus, Rogerian/Roger as Mr. Rogers, James, and many others. It is during the off-season that Lost Saints Lodge is at its most beautiful. The reader gets descriptions of some of the more interesting people who come here in hopes of avoiding not only the crowds but the summer and winter prices.
In Cabin 33, there is the Harper family and their daughter, Emily, who is not at all well; she is positively anemic and S-G (disguised as Mr. Franciscus) expects the worst; another vampire that has a blood lust is feeding on her. It’s a gentle, gracious mystery that only gets a bit violent at the end when S-G figures out a way to get rid of the bad guy . . . by fire!
Mr. Franciscus meets Harriet Goodman who is infatuated and begins to have “those dreams.” She comes to understand what has happened and is frightened. SG tells her, “You have nothing to fear from me.” She says she will not be returning to the lodge next year. He replies, “Neither will I.” He misses Madelaine and Paris. You’ll have to read the story for all the details.
The final letter is dated 1981 and is to Madelaine in La Paz Bolivia. It is very short and ends with, “That you exist is all my love asks of you; the rest is added riches, and in you, I have treasure beyond any other.” It’s enough to tell you that part.
Reading the Saint-Germain books has been a joy for me. I suggest you find them and read them all. Don’t forget to read My Favorite Enigma at the end of this book, it answers a lot of questions . . . or does it? For more reading about S-G, read The Count of Saint Germain by Isabel Cooper-Oakley if you can find a copy. The author has also given us a full background on her vampires under the Notes section at the end of Hotel Transylvania.