Editing Sarah Bernhardt (section)

===The Gymnase and Brussels (1864–1866)===
Her family could not understand her departure from the theater; it was inconceivable to them that anyone would walk away from the most prestigious theatre in Paris at age 18.{{Sfn|Bernhardt|2000|page=135}} Instead, she went to a popular theatre, the Gymnase, where she became an understudy to two of the leading actresses. She almost immediately caused another offstage scandal, when she was invited to recite poetry at a reception at the [[Tuileries Palace]] hosted by [[Napoleon III]] and the [[Empress Eugenie]], along with other actors of the Gymnase. She chose to recite two romantic poems by [[Victor Hugo]], unaware that Hugo was a bitter critic of the emperor. Following the first poem, the emperor and empress rose and walked out, followed by the court and the other guests.{{Sfn|Skinner|1967|page=44}} Her next role at the Gymnase, as a foolish Russian princess, was entirely unsuited for her; her mother told her that her performance was "ridiculous".{{Sfn|Bernhardt|2000|page=135}} She decided abruptly to quit the theater to travel, and like her mother, to take on lovers. She went briefly to Spain, then, at the suggestion of Alexandre Dumas, to Belgium.{{Sfn|Skinner|1967|pages=42–46}}

She carried to Brussels letters of introduction from Dumas, and was admitted to the highest levels of society. According to some later accounts, she attended a [[masked ball]] in Brussels where she met the Belgian aristocrat Henri, Hereditary [[Prince of Ligne|Prince de Ligne]], and had an affair with him.{{Sfn|Skinner|1967|pages=46–47}} Other accounts say that they met in Paris, where the Prince came often to attend the theater.{{Sfn|Tierchant|2009|page=55}} The affair was cut short when she learned that her mother had had a heart attack. She returned to Paris, where she found that her mother was better, but that she was pregnant from her affair with the Prince. She did not notify the Prince. Her mother did not want the fatherless child born under her roof, so she moved to a small apartment on rue Duphot, and on 22 December 1864, the 20-year-old actress gave birth to her only child, Maurice Bernhardt.{{Sfn|Skinner|1967|page=48}}

Some accounts say that Prince Henri had not forgotten her. According to these versions, he learned her address from the theatre, arrived in Paris, and moved into the apartment with Bernhardt. After a month, he returned to Brussels and told his family that he wanted to marry the actress. The family of the Prince sent his uncle, General de Ligne, to break up the romance, threatening to disinherit him if he married Bernhardt.{{Sfn|Skinner|1967|pages=47–52}} According to other accounts, the Prince denied any responsibility for the child.{{Sfn|Tierchant|2009|page=55}} She later called the affair "her abiding wound", but she never discussed Maurice's parentage with anyone. When asked who his father was, she sometimes answered, "I could never make up my mind whether his father was [[Léon Gambetta|Gambetta]], [[Victor Hugo]], or [[General Boulanger]]."{{Sfn|Skinner|1967|page=52}} Many years later, in January 1885, when Bernhardt was famous, the Prince allegedly came to Paris and offered to formally recognise Maurice as his son, but Maurice politely declined, explaining he was entirely satisfied to be the son of Sarah Bernhardt.{{Sfn|Tierchant|2009|page=212}} (While the story is in character for Maurice, note that the Prince died in 1871 when Maurice was 6.)