The Washington times., 1919-03-23


"abominable little novice"
Days passed, and finally Nine.
Maeterlinck, with a multitude Il
feminine endearTents, induced her
lord to leave the Abbaye de Ct.
Wandrille to go with her to Paris
to see his play, that was beginning
its famous run Of four hundred
performances. They sat, hand In
hand. as lovers. watching the
search for happiness.
How do you like it?" she asked.
Much. Oh. very much"
"And Tyltyl?"
Every good! Excellent! Where did
you get herr"
'she is the same whom at the rehearsal
you disliked"
mo"
Eyes, assure you"
Il am amazed"
will you come back to meet her? She
knows you did not like her rehearsals. A
few words from you win make her very
happy"
Back stage at Rejane's Theatre they
went, and Fate walked beside them. So 81
lently she walked that none knew. None
guessed her presence, Yet seldom has
there been a more fateful meeting.
"Your performance was delightful"
Maeterlinck looked with admiration at the
straight, slight figure, the dark eyes, the
golden hair splitting in soft masses from
TyltyPs cap. 81 thank you for interpreting
so well the creation of my BRAIN"
MischieVously the girl looked at him. Il
am glad you like me-now," she answered.
The world-renowned author bent over
the hand Of the little Unknown Parisienne.
81 will be glad if you will honor Nine.
Maeterlinck and me by staying at the Alb
baye de Saint WandriIle," he stammered.
Said the dramatist to his wife: $50
much do regret my judgment Of her that
wish to atone"
NJ. and Nine. Dahon consented that
their daughter should be the guest Of their
dear friend, Nine. Maeterlinck, at Caude-
bee on the Seine. They did not dream that
she would never return. So greatly did
the girl fancy the ancient abbey, so happy
did the society of the famous recluse and
his ably executive wife make her, that she
stayed She became a part Of the Maeter-
linck menage. Such for eight years she re-
manned.
To the chateau in which the poet wrote
his "Pelleas and Melisande," and which
was its setting, few came. It was known
that in his writing moods the great Belgian
was inaccessible. 1t was known, too. that
he disliked the crowd. His immurement in
the reconstructed ruins with its castle-like
walls and its century-old trees was &C.
cepted as "Maeterlinck's way" Nine. Mae
terlinck's immurement with him was taken
as a matter of course.
"It is the way of a woman who loves her
husband" said Paris.
But now passersby and the few persons
admitted to the chateau grew accustomed
tn three figures in the monastic home in
stead of the two who had been. Between
Maeterlinck and his wife, in their twilight
stroIls in the dusk of the grounds, walked
a slender, golden-crowned figure.
"T did not know that the poet had a
daughter" said one.
"Or may it not be Georgette Leblanc's
child?" answered another.
Nine. Maeterlinck laughed. 1.-THE only
baby l. have is my husband. Every wife
who loves her husband knows he is her
greatest baby"
And so the three lived on at the chateau.
Occasionally they were seen together in
Paris Mile Dahon emerged from seclu
sion TO play roles in the Belgian Shake
speare's play. She was the Selycette in
his "AglaiVaine and Selycette." When
there was a young girl, or a boy to be
played, Mile. Dahon played it.
And Nine Maeterlinck, woman of the
world IL ever there was one, knew what
was happening. But she knew, too, that
she might just as easily hold back the
tides of the sea with one Of her slim white
hands as hold back the love of her hus-
band for this golden-haired girl if it had
really begun to flow toward her All she
could do was watch and wait Despite her
love for her poet and philosopher, Nine.
never quite submerged Geor-
gette Leblanc. She wrote essays under
her own name. She was an able executive,
managing his affairs. She bargained with
his publishers and produced his plays.
Often It was necessary for her to be abb
sent from home for months. She made
tours, appearing in Maeterlinckian plays
Great Britain Rights Reserved.