The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-04
INTERCHANGEABLE
.A.C0UNTR YFAR|MER
Famous Belgian Writer Lives on
Great Estate Near
Rouen.
MASTERPIECE p RESENTED
Charming Actress-Wifc Produces
"Pelleas and Melis-
ande.''
MASTERPIECE F. RES EN- + Ell
BY VANCE THOMPSON.

Especial Cable to The Times Dispatch.l
| Paris, September "a more appro-
| pirate home for a poet 1t Is difficult
| TO imagine than the Abbey of Saint
Wandrille. near lRouen, where lives the
famous Belgian writer. Maurice Mae
terlinck. and his actress wife. Geor-
gette Leblanc Saint Wandrille is a
vast building In excellent preservation,
some parts Of which date from the
thirteenth century, with the remains
of splendid cathedral and superb,
well-wooded grounds. all OF which are
we'll preserved. There are tomps.
statues of bishops and monks. bits of
architecture of all periods and stained
glass windows which date from the
thirteenth century. on a hill in tic
woods are the ruins of a chapel built
in the year 1000.
Property Up to Sky.
$50 you see" said Madame Leblanc
to me as we stood in the beautiful
park the other morning and she told
me more OF It's history, Our property
extends right UP to this sky, and dates
back TO the early days OF Christianity"
1t was o'clock In the morning. for
the distinguished actress Is not at all
Partisan in her habits, and gets up
early. Nor Ia she Partisan In her GUS
toms. for she wore that day an original
garb Of plain rough green cloth. cut
in quaint style, and large sun hat,
which was extremely becoming and
appropriate to the place, since 1T gave
her the appearance OF an abbess or
pilgrim of olden days.
Likes Her Queer Costumes.
Madame Leblanc likes to appear IN
these queer costumes. and when In
pa he cfo har Pry
the originality of her dress. Maeter-
linck himself. who comes to Saint
Wandrille for quiet and solitude. Is
devotee of country scenes, and he
looks the countryman with his square
build and handsome smooth shaver
face, which is quite different from
the dapper sensitiveness of the ex-
quisite Rostand or the burlier gran
deur of Jean Richepin. Inded. it is
hard to imagine him anything else
but the country farmer.
What is particularly charming about
this favored and unique couple 1s
their chi1diike delight In their beau
tiful home. Although she has lived
in 1t for four years. Madame Maeter-
linck assures me that she is as en-
thusiastic and interested in the won
derful old abbey as on the first day
she saw II.
ssPelleas" In the Open.
1t was at this beautiful old place
that Madame Leblanc Maeterllnck pro-
duced her husbands masterpiece,
"Pelleas and MeHsande." 1t was not
pastoral play. It was a play or
ancient days produced amid surround
ings so eminently suitable to 1t. There
were only thirty guests invited to wit
ness this unique performance, and we
were conducted from spot to spot as
the play progressed by attendants In
medieval costumes of the period OF |
the play. from the woods to a terrace
in front OF the abbey. the court OF
honor, an avenue of trees, a fountain |
and then back to a bedroom in the |
building. the window of tower. an
oratory, and back to the grove OF |
trees where the eliminating tragedy
takes place, and finally to gallery in
the castle. where the heroine. the
dainty Melisande. dies. Last year
Madame Leblanc Maeterlinck, who
feels the restrictions and irkso1nsness
Of the stage, produced Macbeth" In
The French version OF her husband. At
irst the idea was laughed at by many
superior people, but the success was
and 1t encouraged her to
give her husbands masterpiece thu
year.
The seats were sold at $40 each, and
he proceeds go to charity.
D