Evening Star Newspaper, September 8, 1929, Page 103

i P — THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., SEPTEMBER 8 1929. | o i e How Death Sealed Secret o Why the Beautiful oxd Talented Eve - Lavalliere Retired From Exotic Stage Life of Gay Paris to Embrace Life of Religious Recluse Still a Mystery as Noted French Actress Passes Out of Life. BY R. S. FENDRICK. T last the curtain has rung down on the life of Eve Lavalliere, noted French actress, often called “the modern Thais,” and for years the darling of the Parisian stage. Yet there remains unsolved the mystery that veiled the latter life of this exotic stage flower —what impelled her to vanish from the public view at the height of her fame and devote the remaining years of her career on earth to alms among the poor and the life of a religious recluse. Was it because she tired of the gay life— she was once known as the gayest actress in all Paris—and was completely disillusioned of the ease and opulence, the frivolity and ex- travagance in which this sparkling and capri- cious favorite reigned for long as queen of beauty? : Waz she seeking surceas: for a broken heart after some flaming love affair, such as con- sumed Eleonora Duse after her affair with Gabriele d’Annunzio, or Ida Rubinstein, who fled into the wilds after an unfortunate ro- mance? Or was Eve Lavalliere driven from the stage and virtually banished into exile on account of an affair with a German aristocrat and the frowns of her fellow countrymen when the Great War broke upon the world and France and Germany found themselves arrayed against each other? T}{E secret may never be revealed, for with A her death Mlle. Lavalliere left no diary nor record of any kind to shed additional light upon her reasons for withdrawal from the world of temporal affairs to remain thereafter virtually in solitude, seeking spiritual con- solation. Yet there are many who believe that her affair with a German diplomat was the im- pelling motive back of her stage retirement. It is now being pointed out that when the former actress passed out of the world a short time ago this former German diplomat and army officer, now said to be livirig in retire- ment on his estate in East Prussia, sent & magnificent wreath of roses for her funeral, With her death has come the unfolding of more intimate details concerning this affair of vears between one of France's most beloved theatrical figures end her aristocratic German admirer. in her search for love and happiness Eve Lavalliere believed that she had finally found it when she met a dashing attache of the German embassy in Paris in the Winter of 1913. It developed later that their first meet- ‘ng had been under a sinister omen. They had met at one of the receptions of Gaston Calmette, editor of Figaro, who was shot and killed in his office a few months later by Mme. Joseph Caillaux, wife of the politician. A gifted comedienne, idol of the Paris stage, the toast of kings and princes, it seemed to the admiring Parisians as if the gods had given her their most magic nectar of success to sip. In reality, in the depth of her heart, her life had been one awful tragedy after another— dramas in her childhood home, dramas in her desperate struggle to make a career, dramas with her own children, dramas with her ad- mirers. ’ 'HEN, at the age of 45, still youthful and still seeking the honest affection she had never known, “the man” came into her life. A gentleman to his fingertips, the handsome, square-shouldered German diplomat and sol- dier proved to be a perfect lover. He waited on her like a stricken youth, lavished exquisite gifts on her and kept hcr boudoir filled with magnuificent flowers. When Eve appeared in a new play he was always in the front row with the finest bouqust he could obtain. The two became inseparable, always going out to social affairs together. When she was with him all the horrible specters of the past that haunted her fled to their abyss. Eve was supremely happy and her future was rosy with hope when the tragic blow fell. Suddenly, like a thunderbolt, war burst upon Europe on August 1, 1914, and by a few pen strokes signed to ultimatums these two were arrayed on opposite sides in the bitter struggle. They parted with bitter tears. The German returned to his fatherland on the diplomatic train with the remainder of the embassy staff to don a general's uniform. In spite of her hatred for Germany, the Frenchwoman was crushed by the brusque separation, and for months she remained almost an invalid. Then gradually she returned to her profession, and in the Spring of 1915 started to tour France with a war play called “The Wounded Bird.” By chance, perhaps, she took her company into Switzerland and, by another strange hazard, he went there on leave and m-t her. French spies immediately reported this news to Paris, where it caused a great scandal in official circles. In all probability it was simply a lovers' rendezvous, arranged in advance, but in the intense war fever of the time it ap- peared very sinister. Returning to France. Eve found that an official investigation had been started against her, and if it had not been for the influence of powerful friends she would probably have been interned. As a warning and punishment, she was given a fixed residence far from Paris. The affair was quietly hushed up and to this day the details of the investigation have never been made public. From that moment began a calvary, ending in religious conversion, that is one of the most touching human experiences in France in mod- ern times. “I am going to God by way of the devil,” she said shortly before she died. The private life of this woman, who became the most sparkling comedienne of the French stage of her day, was an extraordinary suc- cession of tragedies. Born in Toulon in 1868, her right name being Eugenie Fenoglio, she was only 15 years old when she saw her jealous Italian father, a tailor, kill her mother in cold blood and then kill himself. Eve was so terrified by this kill- ing that she jumped from a window. Her brother, who jumped at the same time, ran away and was never heard from again. In later years, when she had become wealthy, she spent large sums trying to locate him, but with- out success, Escaping from a reform institution for re- Eve Lavalliere at the height of her stage career. bellious girls, she tried to make a living sing- ing in cafes in the small cities of Southern France, but failed miserably. One night she sat on a park bench in Mar- seille, wondering if she would eat, when a traveling theatrical manager who had been impressed by her act hapened along, listened to her tale of woe and then took her along to Paris with his company. In a few months she had become the darling of the French capital. A sprightly, supple girl, with jet-black hair and black eyes that seemed to sparkle fire, Eve Lavalliere was a L3 A scene from the opera “Thais” depicting Athanael, the monk, leading T hais away from mundane affairs to take up a life of repentance. flaming incarnation of all the wit and gayety of the Latin races. “With her bewitching per- sonality, her inimitable mannerisms and her musical voice, she had only to step on the stage in one of the popular comedies and the audiznce went wild with delight. For 20 years she reigned supreme in her own field. Kings, princes and grand dukes paid court to - her. The dramatists fell at her knees to persuade her to play in their picces. She lived in gueen- ly style in a huge apartment facing the Tuil- leries Gardens. She saved a large fortune and Paris worshiped her. But behind all this glitter of fortune and success grim tragedy stalked her footsteps. In her early days in Paris Eve had married Samuels, a theatrical manager, and this un- happy union ended in a divorce. She had two children, a girl and a boy. The daughter, who had been named Louise, after the famous Duchess de Lavalliere, a favorite of Louis XIV, fell into the hands of an adventurer. This man broke her heart and wasted her fortune during a few months of marriage, and Eve's daughter died. Her son also suffered mis- fortunes. : The same ill fortune pursued the comedi- enne in her later love affairs. Many men killed themselves when she refused to marry them, and an English comedian was killed by his own father when he announced that he was going to marry her. . Success had brought her fame but not hap- piness. With the passing years she dreamed more and more of a perfect lover, of some one who loved her for herself and not for her reputation. The war and the sudden departure of her German admirer formed the last straw that finally turned her heart against the world. IKE Thais, Eve Lavallicre crossed the paths of a holy man and from that moment she was transformed. 3 It was ih Touraine in 1916. She had rented a small castle there in order to take a long rest, the mild disgrace occasioned by her meet- ing with her old friend in Switzerland having » shaken her health, but had made preparations to return to the stage as soon as the war ended. The holy man in this case was an aged country priest, who talked to her so i that she suddenly felt a deep repentance 3 her past life. g A short time later Eve Lavalliere decided to consecrate the remainder of her life to re- ligious service. She turned over all of her goods to religious orders, took the vows of eternal poverty and asked to be admitted to a Carmelite convent. Because of her frail health she was not accepted at the convent, but she did become a member of the Third Franciscan Order, or lay sister. When Paris heard this news no one would believe it. The idea of this frivolous comedi- enne, of all persons, being converted, taking up religious work and retiring from the world seemed incredible. But Eve was in deadly earnsst. “I have never been so happy in all my life,” she told some of her old theatrical friends who went to -see her about this time. “Oh, if you could only realize the folly and the futility of world- liness. The shame and the hollowness of it. How I wish you could discover the beauties of the spirituai life. Surely there is nothing else worth while.” Perhaps the greatest sacri- fice of all was that she gave up silk stockings for coarse linen ones. This troubled her more than anything else, - S & symbol of her new life, the comedienne turned lay sister, went up to a magnifi- cent castle in the Vosges that Samuels, her divorced husband, had given her, handed it over to a .order and rented ! i | i i among were filthy. panion, Leona, a former actress who had be: come her bosom friend and became strong enough for such hard work. bitter blow to both of them, Returning as an invalid to her humble cottage in the Vosges village in 1918, she be- gan to prepare herself for the end that seemed to be drawing near. She spent her days in prayer. On Sundays she would sing in the little church—in the same sweet voice that had held Paris for 20 ing the sick, comforting those-in sorrow and helping the poor from her slender income. Publishers who went to offer huge sums for her memoirs were never even received. To the few old friends she admitted to her little home she. spoke only of the happiness of her new life. » » If Ler last years were a spiritual joy, they were a physical agony, but she accepted both in a devout spirit. In addition to her broken health, Eve de- veloped a painful malady of the eyes, due to using drugs during her theatrical career to make her eyes sparkle. To avoid losing them entirely she had to undergo several serious operations. To the very end, however, she was filled with a great joy for her new life, and just short time before her passing she whispered: “I am going to God by way of the devil.” - (Ccpy:ight, 122).) ;