Mata Hari means sun in Malay .
`` In correspondence to her relatives in the Netherlands in 1897 , she revealed her artistic name of Mata Hari , the word for `` '' sun '' '' in the local Malay language ( literally , `` '' eye of the day '' '' ) .At MacLeod 's urging , Zelle returned to him , but his behavior did not change . ''
Mata Hari