From this time Pound seems to have divided his time equally between Rudge and his wife, a situation which was to continue until the Second World War. In the Spring of 1925, Rudge was forced to pull out of a planned concert tour of the United States as she was pregnant by Pound. On July 9, 1925, she gave birth to her daughter Maria, soon to be going by the English equivalent Mary, at the local hospital in the city of Brixen in the province of South Tyrol. Keen to avoid the stigma an illegitimate child would have on her career, Rudge paid to have Maria looked after by a peasant family in the South Tyrolian village of Gais—a German-speaking village part of Italy. She remained unconcerned about the possible stigma of being the mistress of a married man, and her association with Pound continued unabated. She resumed her career with a concert at the Salle Pleyel in 1926, where she played in the premiere of Pound's new opera, Le Testament de Villon. Her association with Antheil continued with concerts in the capital cities of Europe, and at this time she began to specialise in the works of Mozart. She was now one of the most celebrated solo violinists of the era, playing before the Heads of State and political leaders of Europe. In 1928, Rudge's father bought her a small house in Venice, situated in the Calle Querini. Named "The Hidden Nest", it was to be her Venetian home for the remainder of her life. There, she began to develop her maternal instincts, bringing her daughter Maria for occasional visits. It was the beginning of a difficult and complex relationship between mother and daughter. Maria's existence was a closely guarded secret: Pound did not disclose it even to his own father until 1930. Pound often stayed with Rudge when their daughter visited Venice. However, the couple were often keen to be alone together, and so Rudge rented a Rapallo house near that of Pound and his wife, where the couple were able to conduct their affair unhindered by wife and children (Pound had a stepson, Omar, who was Dorothy's son by an unknown father, thought to be an Egyptian). The 1930s were the years of a global depression affecting all industries including the music industry. Most patrons and customers of concerts, venues, and performers were now often in financial