In _La Vénus des Aveugles_ (1903) “La Perverse Ophélie” and “Sonnet à une Enfant” are addressed to the same person, and they show Vivien struggling to spare both the other girl and herself the fevers of such an alliance as her second had been. This volume also reflects a more bitter struggle which would have remained an enigma except for Germain’s discreet sketch of what occurred during 1903. He describes the new beloved as endowed with a cameo profile, a keen if ‘exclusively practical’ intelligence, and a temperament in every respect different from Vivien’s. It is clear that he did not like the girl, and he attributes to her much of the suffering and catastrophe in Vivien’s later life, although he grants that the poet produced the greater part of her published work under the stimulus of the new association. She was, in fact, the Hélène de Zuylen de Nievelt who collaborated in the “Paule Riversdale” volumes, and to her (in part) Vivien dedicated several original volumes and her collected poems of 1909. No biographical data are discoverable, but the Hamlet and Ophelia references above, and the fact that _Brumes de Fjords_ (1902), the first volume dedicated to her, was announced as translated from the Norwegian, suggest that she was from Northern Europe. (Her name, of course, sounds Dutch.) A difference in the dedicatory initials between 1902 and 1909 suggests that the girl may have married in the interval. In 1903, Vivien was apparently just entering with delicacy and caution upon this new emotional adventure when Barney reappeared on the scene. Like all women who know themselves weak, says Germain, ‘Renée armed herself with a strong resolution’ not to see her old love. But Barney was not one to be “congédiée” at another’s pleasure. When Vivien, at the end of her endurance, left Paris and took refuge in her villa at Mitylene, wanting only peace, she was run to earth even there. (This may, of course, be a euphemistic version of the episode. It is not impossible that Vivien went to Greece by secret pre-arrangement with Barney.) In any case some weeks of renewed intimacy ensued of which _La Vénus des Aveugles_ reflects the bitter and poisoned entrancement. To her tormentor Vivien writes, among much in the same key: Sonnet Tes cheveux irréels, aux reflets clairs et froids Out de pâles lueurs des matités blondes; Tes regards ont l’azur des éthers et des ondes. Pourtant je ne sais plus, au sein des nuits profondes Te contempler avec l’extase d’autrefois ... Je vis—comme l’on voit une fleur qui se fane— Sur ta bouche, pareille aux aurores d’été, Un sourire flétri de vieille courtisane.[24] Cri ... Vers l’heure où follement dansent les lucioles, L’heure où brilla à nos yeux le désir du moment, Tu me redis en vain les flatteuses paroles— Je te hais et je t’aime, abominablement.[25] Full reaction came with return to Paris and to Violet’s grave: