Back from Darmstadt, the vivacious child had become a young lady who, under the mask of good manners, calm and even temper, was concealing powerful feelings and an extraordinary sensitiveness.

Especially, her poem the Atlandide (Atlantis, in English) telling the ancient legend of the lost continent swallowed up by the sea, was recited in a public performance, by the actress Madame Ernst.

Since this event, she has been considered as a poet; and the very day her father authorised her to give herself to poetry she felt fulfilled and declared that her life was now shadowlessly happy.

She received precious advice from Madame Breton, née Samson, the daughter of the famous tragedian, and from the Actress Mme Agar who performed in Racine's masterpiece.

She also gained a primevère d'argent during the spring of 1882 from the Académie des Jeux floraux in Toulouse for her ballad La Belle au Bois dormant (the sleeping beauty), but was so shy that she could not read it in public.