Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-10-06
The "Uncrowned Queen"


grace in being the mistress of king,
but / would consider it everlasting
disgrace to advertise our relationship,
glorified as it was by n love which
even court and conventionality could
not throttle"
Portugal's uncrowned queen, J"
Mile. Gaby Deslys, whose twinkling
toes brought Manuel TO his knee, a
subject instead OF king; cost the
boy ruler his fortune and his throne,
and caused him to be sent out into
the night like hunted beast; plunged
kingdom into civil war that snuffed
out hundreds OF lives and sent a
dynasty rolling in the dust, today
glorifed her relations with the YOUTH
full ex-monarch in an interview with
a representative of the United Press.
Last night great throngs packed the
music hall to see the chic little French
woman. At her throat sparkled a
magnificent sunburst OF diamonds,
wrung from bankrupt Portugal by
Manuel that no might buy his way
into the favor OF his mistress. To the
audience each sparkling stone repre-
scented hunger and poverty in Manuels
land.
Eyes, was Manuel's mistress, " she
proudly told your correspondent. But
| did not make capital out OF my re-
lations with Manuel. The fact is, |
have kept a quiet reserve. Recently,
in Paris, the Variete Theater offered
me a huge salary to appear billed as
Manuel's mistress. | refused indig-
nantly. The same theater then present
ed a sketch wherein the king and my
self we're the two chief features. can
not be blamed for that. l never asked
the papers to call me the 'Uncrowned
Queen Of Portugal.
Il first met the king fifteen months
ago in Paris, where | was dancing.
He was brought behind the scenes and
introduced to me after the performance.
1t was love at first sight, and | became
his mistress. The love / bore him and
the love he bore me justified it all in
our eyes.
after that first meeting, we met
frequently. He came repeatedly to
Paris to visit me, We we're always
happy together in those days.
"In February OF this year, his high
ness summoned me to Lisbon by royal
command. and at his request l danced
at the great charity fair the king or
gained for the relief Of the victims Of
the Oporto fire.
Il did not live in a suite in the royal
palace, as was declared yesterday. l
stayed in a suite in hotel near the
palace, but the king paid me marked
attentions and was in my company dur
ing nearly all the time | was in his
capital. He even presented me to his
royal mother"
You have been denounced in
Europe and in America as the cause
of the kings downfall" the cores
pondent told the dancer. Her eyes
flashed and she replied angrily;
That is untrue; that is unjust.
The king only gave me small presents,
which even a poor man could afford
without extravaganza. My contract
for my next engagement is here. See
for yourself that / am to get $25, 600
for appearing three months here. /
believe that my income is greater than
that OF the king.
when it was reported that he
meant to marry me, one Paris paper
rightly said:
"Deslys will not abandon the great
kingdom of the stage for the small
kingdom Of Portugal. "
Manuel first met her after her re-
cent dances in Paris, when her act
transcribed any of those OF the
French capital in daring. In it she
disrobed to single garment and dia-
mond studded garter.
The dance and the story it showed
in pantomime were suggestive III the
extreme. 1t made an instant hit
on the boulevards. Deslys drew an
immense salary. Perhaps her story
is true that her ircome was even
greater than that of the king.
Gaby Deslys is probably merely the
stage name Of the siren who lured
Manuel to destruction. Translated in
to English it means Gabrielle OF the
Lilies -