The Washington times., 1921-10-16
Ceorgette Leblanc, Known to the Wof
But Never His Wife, Writes the 4
Intimate Details of the Nj
= Extraordinary Romance of All

and in little while moved to the Abbey of ST. wan
drile for the Summer - e.-cs ~
Then Fate dealt me cruel blow. Maeterlncks
mother fell dangerously ILL., She was q woman Of ad
vanced years and felt when we received Telegram
that she would not He deeply grieved and
always, felt his almost deeply himself
We started at once for Belgium Maeterlinck had to
remain for fifteen days at the bedside of his dying mother
and then he performed the last sad duties of son. This
ordeal especially painful him. because his whole
life had been sheltered from trouble and bereavement
Helcved his mother very much, and when returned
to tho country he a changed from grief. was
profoundly distressed by his altered appearance did
everything could imagine to restore his cheerfulness
but without success.
For the first time thought observed signs of ner.
trouble-ncurasthenia-in him. He would not
doctor professionally and obliged to play little
comedy in order to have the advice of / invited
doctor good friend Of ours and jolly companion to
visit with his wife for few days The doctor studied
Maeternck thoroughly without letting him know it, and
after his examination told he had serious trouble
beyond the natural effects Of his grief The doctor ad
vised that the best thing to do to the poet
Invent something" said the Doctor "Use your
imagination, perform miracle anything is possible in
love"
BY strange coincidence days later read in the
local Newspaper that the young actress whom we called
"Silver Tasse" (Mademoselle Renee Dahon) had come
play the Arena Of Lilebonne, few miles from ST.
wandrille This place, the site Of ancient Roman
arena of which little remains serves as the scene OF an
annual entertainment Ordinarily should not have
gone there for the affair particularly interesting
but this time ran joyously q-Maeternck and said:
dropped Pine Needles D0Ipn His Neck!"
'Here is something that will cheer you up. Next
Sunday must go and Silver Tasse-you remember
the little girl you played with the rehearsal She has
few words say in this play. We will 60 and hear it
and then bring her back to supper at the abbey"
Maeterlinck agreed with pleasure. On the following
Sunday wewent to the performance and when
went to look for the young girl who threw herself into
my arms with delight She danced with happiness at the
invitation return with u.s. declaring that she not
expected back in Paris, and that she would remain until
the next day. s.
That evening the great sad and sombre abbey where
ordinarily only the hootng owls heard resounded
with saucy songs ball thrown again and again ats
the high vaulted roof and bounded against the ancient
walls. I delighted see Maeternck laughing at
these pranks and gave free play to my spirits which
had repressed for years for his benefit I about
with the girl and played all sorts of childish games and
wild pranks for the poet IS amusement ..'
The next morning told Silver Tassel that could not
possibly let her go away. She jumped with joy and told
me that she hated to go back gloomy apartment with
her parents in Paris when she could be happy with
in the country.
Silver Tasse made us a visit of indefinite length Life
now began to be very gay in the abbey Maeterlncks
noisy games and funny tricks | was happy to see all
this because the grief which had marked my poets face
was now passing away
One day when Maeternck was sitting down to his
work at great monastic table covered with green cloth
he startled by shrll laugh. The young girl had
hidden herself under the table, Jumping up she threw
a handful of sand his sacred pages
Another day she came back from a walk with hand.
fu of pine needles which she dropped down the poets
neck. l would never have dared to do such things!
lie pretended to grumble at her tricks. He called,
will You stop it shall punish you But he laughed
and really enjoyed it. 1t diversion never before
imagined in his sudious fe and was delighted to see
how his face frightened
The young girl stayed with us the whole Summer 1t
passed in walks pcnics automobile excursions boat
ing trips and other amusements Never before had Mae.
termck been willing to himself much On rainy
days the great abbey transformed into roller skst
ing rink. Nothing could have been more incongruow
than the noise Of roller skates echoing the ancient
corridors.
When Autumn came Maeternck had completely
covered his equilibrium and health little later in
ved the young girl to come with to the south, In