Show Jill 1 IBSEN'S UNKNOWN ROMANCE 11 I Basil Kings King's story of the romance of ot Henrik Ibsen based chiefly on Ibsen's autographed letters will be published for tor the first time in the Century Magazine beginning with the October number Not until Ibsen was vas 61 years old did he meet romance Then he was struck TV with such extraordinary violence violence vio yb- lence by a woman child ot of 18 that according to his English biographer writing at the end of ot his life lite The wound he has received so long be before before before be- be fore at was unhealed to his last moment of ot consciousness Emilie Bardach whose virginal inscrutability was an enigma to the genius who had penetrated all masks was nas Impoverished by the I war ar and was forced to find a a. market market marlet mar mar- ket let for the letters lettera Henrik Ibsen had written her She gave them to Basil King along with tho diary sho kept at the time she had known Ibsen From these Basil King has has' pieced together ono one of or the most amazing romances in history which Is being published In the Century I Magazine beginning with the tho October October October Octo Octo- ber number In his Introduction to the first I chapter High Unhappy Happiness Happi Happi- I ness in the October Century Basil King says Secrets sealed between two hearts have a way of ot seeping out of ot them It will be seen later that Ibsen himself was not wholly dis dis- creet To a no man a a. friend of ot Edmund Edmund Edmund Ed Ed- mund Grosse and nd to a woman a a. professors professor's wife wIte at he partly at least betrayed himself Another woman had surmised something we do not know what but enough to call can forth her com com- menta mente In a small resort where people have little to do gossip gossip gossip gos gos- sip especially about persons of ot Importance runs runs rud like wildfire We may take it for granted that the secret supposed to be sealed within two hearts was shared by a good mM many i Half of or the tale has been told I Inow now for nearly twenty years ears The main incident is a generation be behind behind be- be I be-I hind us in a a. world condition that seems to ha have vo existed before a no I great flood Moro More and more Ibsen takes his place as one of ot the I classic figures of ot the world orld He lIe belongs to time The public hasa has a right to apy ay detail which reveals him The episode in question has I the greater significance in that it itis itis is the single glimpse we ever get I Into a burning raging Inner life liCe that on the outside was as cold i and stern as aa the glaciers of ot his native mountains The whole tale talo can can- surely now be told without In Indiscretion in- in discretion It is too far fat past lui xu the rifling of ot any of ot those holy places all men keep locked and barred In this first chapter in the October October October Oc Oc- Oc- Oc tober Century Basil King recounts the romance ot of Ibsen and Emilie Bardach from the point of ot view of ot the young girl of 18 the November instalment will be concerned chiefly chief chief- ly h with Ibsen's letters to Emilio Emilie Bardach In c concluding his first chapter Basil King quotes the tho fol- fol Emilio Bardach's Bat Bar lowing passage from DarY 1 dachs dach's diary dary Our last day at Then nothing but memory will re remain re- re main Two weeks ago memory seemed to Ibsen so beautiful and now Once more the tho break was her own Now apparently memory was not enough lIe He says that tomorrow he will stand on the ruins of ot his happiness happi happl- ness neB These last two months are more important in his life than everything that has gone before I Am I not reasonable to be so terribly terribly ter ter- ter- ter quiet and normal That was still in inthe the forenoon I During the day the poet must have ha described more clearly tho the end to which he lie was so ao recklessly rushIng rushIng rush- rush Ing lag on As we get his side of ot the story tory guardedly as Jie Jle tells It it wo find ind It referred io to o again The impossible im Im- im- im possible e was tb to be achieved at al l cost coste The entry was late at nl night ht Ho m means mans ans to possess me This Is hi his absolute will He intends to overcome all obstacles I do what I can to keep him from feeling this and yet I 1 listen as ho de describes describes describes de- de scribes what is to lie He before us us- us going boing from front one country to another I I with him him enjoying enjoying hi his triumphs triumphs tri tri- 1 together |