This observation came to the Emperor’s ears, and after the command performance was over he came down from his box on to the stage and shook hands with Sarah warmly.
“You are the most wonderful actress we have ever seen in Russia, mademoiselle!” he said, “and one does not need to be a poet to appreciate you!”
Alexander II. presented her with a magnificent brooch, set with diamonds and emeralds, as a remembrance of the occasion. She “lost” it on one of her trips to South America.
What jewels that woman lost or sold! The total would have staggered belief, had it ever become known. I suppose no actress ever possessed, at varying times, such wonderful jewels as did Sarah Bernhardt. Yet when her collection of gems was sold by auction in Paris after her death, most of the articles were found to be paste, and the whole collection fetched only a few thousand francs, and that chiefly for sentimental reasons.
Damala and Sarah were seen together everywhere. He took her about, introduced her into that class of society to which he belonged by virtue of his official position, and seemed wildly infatuated with her. Whether it was really infatuation, or simply the desire to capture the love and be seen in the company of the most famous woman of her epoch, I shall leave to my readers to judge.
To me Damala was the most cold-blooded, cynical and worthless individual whom I had ever met. I could not bear the sight of him. His very touch revolted me. And my feelings were shared by most of the company, so that when Sarah casually announced one day that Damala had resigned his official position in order to join her company, we were all more indignant than astonished. It had been evident from the first that he meant leaving St. Petersburg when she did.
What Sarah saw in him I am at a loss to imagine. He was still extremely handsome—“beautiful” would be a better description. He affected extreme dandyism in dress, and was eccentric in many of his habits.
He was still coolly nonchalant in his dealings with Sarah and in this he was wise, for it was this cynical attitude of his, this disdain of her greatness and success, which had first attracted her to him and which continued to hold her interest and pique her curiosity.
Once get a woman curious about a man, to the extent of wishing to seek his company, and the rest follows as night the day....
To other people, Damala would praise Sarah wildly.