New-York tribune., 1906-11-23
GAMRETTA,s ROMANCr

Il is difficult TO believe the story which oor,as
nom Paris to the effect that the correspondence
between Gambetta and Nine Leon, comprising
about two thousand three Thousand letters is
about to be published. That correspondence is In
the hands either OF Mmo. Leon Of the son whom
she bore 70 Ganbetta. and whose education was an
object OF so much solicitude on his part Mne
Leon manifested such unseifshness and delIcacy In
concealing her relations with the popular tribune
during his lifetime that It is inoonceivabIe that
she should be willing to lay bare to the public let
ters which he wrote for her alone. She had every
temptation during his lifetime allow her init
macy with him to become known. There were sew
eral other women OF considerable social prorni-
nenoe who owed their Importance as factors IN the
official and political world to the influence which
they claimed TO exercise over Gambetta by their
alleged possession Of his affections.
It is doubtful whether Nine Adam would ever
have been able TO play the role which she did IN
Paris had she not posed the Egeria OF Gambetta-
On the banks OF the Seine and among many OF her
countryrnen this hotion found belief But the for
eign embassies in the French capital were better
informed. and while they suspected the existence
Of some romance IN the life Of Frances most
powerful and most popular statesman, they
convinced that Nine. Adam not fits object
and consequently, when she visited ST. Petersburg
and Vienna she found the doors OF all the leading
people closed against her. her humiliation being
completed by the manner in which shs ignored
by courts and governments.
Mime. Leon resisted all temptations 70 boast that
BETA and to expose his alleged fair friends
npostors. Never was there affaire de oosur
conducted with much secrecy and discretion as
that of Nine. Leon and Gambetta. His closest
friends, the people who frequented his house day
by day, never caught glimpse Of her, and. while
they may have suspected her existence. at any
rate never knew anything definite or even met her
until his death. In fact the romance remained
secret 70 every one. to his cronles until It
brought light by the tragedy which resulted in
the premature termination Of his career. That
tragedy resulted from his efforts 10 prevent Nine
Leon from doing injury TO herself with revolver
In endsavoring TO wrest the weapon from her It
went off accidentally, inficting upon him fatal
wound. IF she had been anxious to kill herself
It was because she had become convinced that she
was an obstacle to the attainment OF the culmna-
ton OF his career namely, the Presidency OF the
republic II was this account. too. that she
had refused TO comply with his persistent demands
TO permit him to legaliZe their relations by mar
r1age. That, indeed. was the one subject OF dis
cord between them. She realized that IL he mar
ried her the attainment OF the dignity OF Chief
Magistrate would be beyond his reach. He. ths
other hand was unwilling 10 subject the woman
to whom he was 80 deeply devoted to the equiv
ocal position resulting from their romance and
wished rather TO sacrifice his political ambitions
and prospects than TO take advantage OF her self
abnegatton.
Under the circumstances ii Is incredible that
Nine Leon should be party 70 the publication OF
the letters written to her, and for herself alone,
by Gambetta, and that she should depart at this
stage OF her life from the unseldshness and the
discretion which displayed throughout the four
teen or fifteen years Of her romance with the
Statesman who to-day, nearly quarter OF a
fury after his DEATH retains stronger hold on the
affection Of his countrymen than any other of the
leading personages of the third republic.