Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-11
TOLSTOI HIS wIFYs GUEST.
Dressed Like n Peasant He Visits His
Family in Winter.

From the London Daily News.
Herr Oscar Blumenthal, the wcll-known
author Of many amusing comedies. and
manager Of the Leasing Theater, is just
now with his company in Russia, where
they have achieved great success. 1T Mos
cow he learned by chance that Count Leo
Tolstoi was staying there, and at once de-
termined to visit the author, whose 1.-The
Power of Darkness was for the first time
given in Berlin On his stage. Herr Blu
menthal describes in a most attractively-
written article his meeting with the count.
He says:
5r The elegance Of the entrance hall sur
prised me. and the footman in black who
took my card astonished me still more.
One is not prepared to find in the home
of this philosophic her init the social GUS
toms of an embassy. This contradiction Is
very simply explained. He lives in Moscow
only as the guest of his wife. The winter
residence in the capital is built for her ana
the children. who grow up amid all the
pleasures and joys of youth. their ruininat-
ing father not in the least begrudging them
the vanities of the world. For Count Toll
stoi Is no proselytizer. His shyness of the
world and society, which has become ne
cesSity for him, he does not wish to force
on his family. The last consequences or
the 'kreutzer Sonata are not so unreient-
ingly pursued by him, for his Youngest
child is still in. frocks, and has looked out
into this world of contradictions and con-
fusion with it's inquisitive eyes for not
more than four or five years.
After passing down long corridors, which
are like so many intrenchments around Toll
Stofs study, l at last stood before this re-
lmarkable man. / saw him Just as the cele
brated picture shows HMM his full peas
ants smock, belt round his waist with
the white beard, the melancholy deep-set
eyes. the coarse gray hair, the thoughtful
hrOUC HANGS acCuS-
toned to work, which during his conVei'sa-
ton he keeps passing through his belt and
the whole touching earnestness which sur
rounds the man.
Simplicity of the Man.
Count Leo Tolstoi makes the impression
of figure out of he Bible. When one con-
verses with him enc lowers ones voice
One imagines that one of the apostles has
stepped out Of Leonardo da Vincis Last
supper The convent-like simplicity of the
Study is in unison with the simple dignity
Of the man. Whitewashed walls. without
any artistic establishment, black leather
chairs bookshelves with only few books,
u brentwood writing table, on which a
quantity of freshy-written sheets ie-this
Is the work-cell OF this worldly monk.
Count TolStoi, Herr Blumeuthal tells US,
at once opened conversation which turned
upon the literary movement in Germany.
He showed very great interest in the mat
geSted to him to come to Berlin and make
himself acquainted with the spiritual life Of
Germany from personal observation. Count
Tolstoi shook his head, saying: No. GER
tainly not. l agree with the Indian wise
man who, among the seven mortal sins
"nich man may commit against HIM
SELF, reckons useless travelling. shall
never leave Russia again
After inquiring what impression his works
made in Germany, Count Tolstoi said that
he had planned for many years new
drama which he had much at heart. His
former dramas were nothing but prelimi-
nary studies for this unw-itten work. He
was. however, afraid that he would Gle be-
fore he had completed 1t. 1t would not
treat d Russian, but cosmopolitan, SUBJ
Ject. from the social life of capital 1T
Is a piece he added, which will contain
my personal confessions, my struggles, my
faith. and my suiferinss-in short, every
thing near my own heart. The cold OBJ
jeetivity of some authors which is praised
SO much l don't like. At least, no work
Will affect my heart in which l do not find
human confession, something which has
flowed out Of the poets own heart"
IbSen's Lack of CIearness.
Then. suddenly turning the conversation,
What do you think of Henrik Ibsen and
his latest works." Herr Blupicnthal an
swered: Are you speaking Of Hedda Cab
Ter and The Master Builder Well, il /
must confess count, 1 have had them given
on my stage, but never thoroughly under
stood them and almost had the impression
that 1bsen only published them in order to
hear from his critics what he really thought
VIXEN writing them" Yes, 1t is the want
of clearnesS." Count Tolstoi agreed. which
disappointed me also in Ibsen's pieces.
read mis- Wild Duck and Ghosts but l
can't understand the fame and the success
of the author But perhaps the translation
Is to be blamed, and l am sorry to say
have experienced myself what an made
Quate translation can do"
In reply to the question whether 1t was
true that the "Kreutzer Sonata" Is still pro-
hibited in Russia Count Tolstoi answered
Yes. as single vloume; but in the col
lected edition or my works it is allowed to
appear. The wisdom of our censor is, as
you see. inscrutable."
Herr Blumenthal. who, the day after his
visit, received photograph from Count
Tolstoi with an autograph dedication, closes
his interesting account with the words
The photograph stands on my writing
table. L look at 1t again and again and in
voluntarily murmur the words of Kent to
King Lear. You have that in your coun-
I'm, orces hi.,h I Cot,