CCCXI. TO GUSTAVE FLAUBERT Sunday, Nohant, 5th April, 1876.
Victor Borie is in Italy, what must I write him? Are you the man to go to find him and explain the affair to him? He is somewhere near Civita-Vecchia, very much on the go and perhaps not easy to catch up with.
I am sure that he would receive you with open arms, for, although a financier to his finger-tips he has remained very friendly and nice to us. He does not tell us if he is on his mountain of alum for long. Lina is writing to him and will know soon, shall she tell him that you are disposed to go to meet him, or that you will wait until his return to Paris? anyway until the 20th of May he will get letters addressed to him at the Hotel Italy in Florence. We shall have to be on the watch, for he writes AT LONG INTERVALS.
I have not the time to say any more to you today. People are coming in. I have read Fromont et Risler; I charge you to thank M. Daudet, to tell him that I spent the night in reading it and that I do not know whether I prefer Jack or Risler; it is interesting, I might almost say GRIPPING.
I embrace you and I love you, when will you give me some Flaubert to read?
G. Sand
CCCXII. To GEOBGE SAND Monday evening
Dear master, Thanks to Madame Lina"s kind note, I betook myself to V. Borie"s yesterday and was most pleasantly received. My nephew went to carry him the doc.u.ments today. Borie has promised to look after the affair; will he do it?
I think that he is in just the position to do me indirectly the greatest service that any one could do me. If my poor nephew should get the capital which he needs in order to work, I could get back a part of what I have lost and live in peace the rest of my days.
I presented myself to Borie under your recommendation, and it is to you that I owe the cordiality of his reception. I do not thank you (of course) but you can tell him that I was touched by his kind reception (and stimulate his zeal if you think that may be useful).
I have been working a great deal lately. How I should like to see you so as to read my little medieval folly to you! I have begun another story ent.i.tled Histoire d"un coeur simple. But I have interrupted this work to make some researches on the period of Saint John the Baptist, for I want to describe the feast of Herodias.
I hope to have my readings finished in a fortnight, after which I shall return to Croisset from which spot I shall not budge till winter,--my long sessions at the library exhaust me. Cruchard is weary.
The good Tourgueneff leaves this evening for Saint Petersburg. He asks me if I have thanked you for your last book? Could I be guilty of such an oversight? You will see by my Histoire d"un coeur simple where you will recognize your immediate influence, that I am not so obstinate as you think. I believe that the moral tendency, or rather the human basis of this little work will please you!
Adieu, dear good master. Remembrances to all yours.
I embrace you very tenderly.
Your old Gustave Flaubert
CCCXIII. To MAURICE SAND Tuesday evening, 27th
All I can say to you, in the first place, my dear friend, is, that your book has made me pa.s.s a sleepless night. I read it instantly, at one fell swoop, only stopping to fill my good pipe from time to time and then to resume my reading.
When the impression is a little less fresh I shall take up your book again to find the flaws in it. But I think that there are very few.
You must be content? It ought to please? It is dramatic and as amusing as possible!
Beginning with the first page I was charmed with the sincerity of the description. And at the end I admired the composition of the whole, the logical way the events were worked out and the characters related.
Your chief character, Miss Mary, is too hateful (to my taste) to be anything but an exact picture. That is one of the choicest parts of your book, together with the homelife, the life in New York?
Your good savage makes me laugh out loud when he is at the Opera.
I was struck by the house of the missionaries (Montaret"s first night). You make it seem real. Naissa scalping, and then wiping her hands on the gra.s.s, seemed to me especially well done. As well as the disgust that she inspires in Montaret,
I venture a timid observation: it seems to me that the flight of father Athanasius and of Montaret, when they escape from their prison, is not perfectly clear? Is not the material explanation of the event too short?
I do not care for, as language, two or three ready-made locutions, such as "break the ice." You can see that I have read you attentively! What a pedagogue I make, eh! I am telling you all that from memory, for I have lent your book, and it has not been returned to me yet. But my recollection of it is of a thing very well done.
Don"t you agree with me that a play of very great effect could be made from it for a boulevard theatre?
By the way, how is Cadio going?
Tell your dear mamma that I adore her.
Harrisse, from whom I have received a letter today, charges me to remember him to her, and, for my part, I charge you to embrace her for me.
And I grasp your two hands heartily and say "bravo" to you again, and faithfully yours.
Gustave Flaubert
CCCXIV. To MADAM MAURICE SAND Thursday evening, 25th May, 1876
Dear Madam,
I sent a telegram to Maurice this morning, asking for news of Madam Sand.
I was told yesterday that she was very ill, why has not Maurice answered me?
I went to Plauchut"s this morning to get details. He is in the country, at Le Mans, so that I am in a state of cruel uncertainty.
Be good enough to answer me immediately and believe me, dear madam,
Your very affectionate,
Gustave Flaubert
4 rue Murillo, Parc Monceau
CCCXV. To MADAM LINA SAND
Dear Madam,
Your note of this morning rea.s.sures me a little. But that of last night had absolutely upset me.
I beg you to give me very frequent news of your dear mother-in-law.
Embrace her for me and believe that I am