Baroness of Hobcaw: The Life of Belle W. Baruch

13. Triumphs with Souriant and Rumors of War

13 Oo Triumphs with Souriant and Rumors of War In 1932 Belle hired a Frenchman, Jean Darthez, as her head groom and trainer, beginning a relationship that would span three decades. The doughty Frenchman maintained what he considered to be the neatest, cleanest stables in all of France. Belle was an exacting employer, especially where her horses were concerned, and in Darthez she found someone who met her expectations . The primary responsibility for the care and training of her stables was henceforth in the capable hands of Darthez. It was sometimes hard to say who loved her horses more, Belle or Darthez. Both were especially devoted to Souriant (or Toto, as they called him). In fact, sometimes Jean’s devotion to the handsome chestnut exceeded even Belle’s expectations. Planning to compete in Italy, Belle instructed Jean to make arrangements to ship Souriant to Florence. To her dismay, the Frenchman reserved an entire car on the Rome Express for the champion jumper. When Belle objected to such extravagance, Darthez insisted: “Miss Baruch, your horse must have the very best!” Toto must have enjoyed the ride, because he and Belle scored another great triumph, winning the Premio Primavera Florentine, setting a woman’s amateur high-jump record of 2.10 meters. At the ball following the show, Belle was again asked to sell Souriant, this time to the Italian team who wished to present the Anglo-Arab to “Il Duce” (Mussolini). Belle laughed and said, “Tell me, how many lira are there in the bank of Italy?” Triumphs with Souriant and Rumors of War 67 “Why, millions, signorina,” she was told. “Well,” said Belle, her brown eyes sparkling, “it’s not enough. There isn’t enough lira in all of Italy to buy Souriant.”1 In August of that year, Belle commissioned Sir Alfred Munnings to paint her astride Souriant. She arranged to meet Sir Alfred at Biarritz and drive him to the Hôtel de France at Pau. In a letter dated Monday, August 29, 1932, Sir Alfred wrote to his wife, Violet: Here I am for a few days. Miss Baruch is here. Has been waiting for me. Hot —but not that heat of Spain. The Pyrenees—faint—a long way away, and the town very nice. . . . I’m ready to do Belle’s wonderful horse. Soon I go down to the stables to see the horses and the young ones in the school [Larregain ’s school] where Miss Baruch is going to jump. . . . Miss Baruch just loves it all, and rides with her friend. She has eight horses and a mare and foal, and gets on anything in her skirt and silk stockings and high-heeled shoes, and goes round those horse show jumps—I never saw anything like it, and her toe never moves in the iron,—it’s beyond me.2 Belle was the ideal hostess for Sir Alfred. He delighted in her luxurious, specially designed Chrysler, only twenty-five models of which were made each year. Sir Alfred would start painting early in the morning while it was cool. Belle would bring gourmet lunches to share at noon, always including his favorite juicy melons and, of course, a treat for Souriant. In the evenings they dined with Belle’s friends in tiny local restaurants where the food was plain but delicious. Sir Alfred fell in love with Souriant and inscribed on his early studies for the painting: “The most charming horse I ever painted. He stood alone like this whilst the groom kept away the flies.” In later years, when he published his autobiography , Sir Alfred wanted to include Souriant’s portrait as one of the illustrations . Prompted by her passion for privacy, Belle refused permission but later regretted that she had not allowed her beloved Toto’s painting to be included. Sir Alfred noted in a later letter that when he and Belle went to Biarritz where Belle was to ride in the show, she had to withdraw because of illness. A series of minor illnesses plagued Belle throughout 1932. As was her custom, Belle visited Geneva while the League of Nations was in session. She had been delighted the previous year when American Jane Addams was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Miss Addams, who led the Women’s League for Peace and Freedom, had been nominated several times by both her own organization and the League of Nations. Baroness of Hobcaw...