We very soon became intimate with Franz Servais, and grew to regard him
as our good friend. It was through him that I tried to penetrate some
of the mysteries that seemed to me to envelope the life of Liszt, and
first of all I asked how, and why, he was a priest?
"It was only four years ago that he took the orders," said Servais to
me, "and became the Abbé Liszt."
"In what way, and why?"
"No one knows! On his return from a journey to Rome, he was a priest.
Perhaps he wished, in this way, to explain to the world, which had
been in a state of excitement over his projects of marriage with the
Princess Wittgenstein, that they were definitely abandoned. I believe
also that he was relieved at being able to take away from all the women
who adored him, the hope of obtaining his hand."
"But as a matter of fact, all the women seem, even now, to quarrel over
him quite openly. Does not his habit make a difference to them?"
"No, on the contrary, it inflames them the more, it has all the
fascination of forbidden fruit! Liszt exercises, moreover, an
extraordinary influence over the women and even the men who understand
and admire him. I am able to speak of this with knowledge, because I
submit to it myself without attempting to defend myself, and I am proud
to be one of his pupils. But some of the women undoubtedly go too far.
It leads them into a sort of idolatry, of fetichism. They dispute over
a flower that he has touched, they gather up the ends of his cigars,
and those who are sufficiently independent, and are able to do so,
follow him from city to city, all through the year."
"And does not that exasperate him?"
"On the contrary, he would be very unhappy without the atmosphere of
adoration which surrounds him. He loves the incense of these excessive
flatteries. He feels the need of this mystical kingdom, and in order to
hold it together, he distributes his favours, very simply, according to
the merits of the recipients, or in the order of his own preferences."
[Illustration: JUDITH GAUTIER IN BRITTANY.]
"But how is he able to maintain order and harmony in his harem, and to
keep down jealousy and rivalry?"
"That is the most wonderful thing about it all," said Servais; "he
succeeds in keeping peace amongst all his votaries, he even makes them
accept and respect a favourite. When you express astonishment at an
abnegation so unusual among women, he makes to you this unexpected
announcement, 'They love themselves in me.'"