Darling Maudie,
So, how was the garden party? I am sure you
were the perfect hostess, just the quality Verna adores in you- and I am sure you
looked stunning, even though your gown did not turn out to be from Molyneux.
I wonder how it felt for you to host The Ladies Committee of the Jewish
Organization for Relief of Jewish Children from Germany. I mean you
lived in Germany – and you know German, right? Of course the time you spent
there was a completely different – two regimes earlier, during the time of
the German Empire, when Berlin was just awakening into it’s anarchist and subversive
glory of the early 20th century. When the horrible times to come could not be
foreseen yet.
Do you remember the amazing avant-garde movements
and artists and subversive political cabarets? I wonder- did you ever meet
Anita Berber?
And wasn’t it in Berlin that you became a ‘barefoot
dancer’, and where you saw the production of Wilde’s Salome by Max Reinhardt which inspired your Visions of Salome?
I mean Germany and Berlin is all over your
career. I guess MP Billing did do his homework before he linked your anarchist sexuality
to the sexually anarchist parts of (anti-British) Germany. I mean accusing you
of being German-sympathizer, sadist AND lesbian all in one breath?
True, you really were a femme
fatale. Bold. And lesbian. And it looks
like you are really obsessed with pearls. To be frank – I kind of hate pearls.
Well most pearls. Your style really isn’t my cup of tea. I mean when you think
of femme fatale – just look at Helen! Yes, yes, she is after your time, but isn’t
she fabulous? I bet you would have LOVED Bollywood. More to exotify! (But not
Helen, she is too complicated)
But I digress. Where were we? Oh yes, the
trial.
Tell me, what were you thinking denying your
own identity and your lover’s existence and love by suing Billing for
defamation? And what was that about Lord Douglas testifying against you for
Billing’s case? I mean, wasn’t he Wilde’s lover? So much for queer solidarity – between the
ways you treated Verna and Douglas treated you – so disappointing. One could never
take queer solidarity for granted I guess.
Well, goes to show that not every queer icon
is to be admired automatically. So, why do I even write to you, a queer ancestor
I cannot respect?
Sandra
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