DAUDET ALPHONSE: (1840-1897) French novelist. A.L.S., Alphonse Daudet, two pages ...

DAUDET ALPHONSE: (1840-1897) French novelist. A.L.S., Alphonse Daudet, two pages (written to the first and third sides of the bifolium), small 8vo, n.p., n.d., to a friend, in French. Daudet writes to explain to his friend exactly what happened concerning Chennevieres, in part, ‘Quand j'ai appris que ce parfait gentilhomme age de quelque quatre vingt trois ans avait ete peine du peu d'egards qu'on lui montrait apres tant de salamaleco que nous lui avions faits, moi surtout, j'ai tenu a l'avertir que j'etais etranger a la chose et M. Delzant s'est tres obligeamment charge de la communication. Nous etions bien convenus de n'en pas souffler mot, si le Marquis de Chennevieres n'en avait parle le premier……. J'aurais ete heureux que cette affaire fut morte aussitot que nee, trouvant ces potins indignes de nous; et si je vous ai parle du propos de Fasquelle c'est que j'en ai ete tres touche. Merci de votre amicale intervention….’ (Translation: ‘When I learned that this perfect gentleman, aged some eighty-three years old, had been saddened by the lack of consideration shown to him after so much salamaleco that we had given him, I especially wanted to warn him that I was a stranger to the matter and Mr. Delzant very obligingly took care of the communication. We had agreed not to say a word about it unless the Marquis de Chennevieres had spoken about it first……I would have been happy if this affair had died as soon as it was born, finding this gossip unworthy of us; and if I told you about Fasquelle’s words it is because I was very touched by it. Thank you for your friendly intervention…..’). VG