Zola, Emile, French writer (1840-1902). Autograph letter signed.

Paris, 19 and 20 Nov. 1895.

4to (203 x 130 mm). 4 pp.

 12,000.00

In French. On November 19, Zola writes to his wife: "I see that your day on Saturday was well spent: a visit at the curiosities merchants, lunch with the Luzzattos, a visit in the Coliseum, dinner at the Embassy. And how you pressed yourself to get double the benefit! You speak of leaving Rome Tuesday evening, that is, today. You will thus not have received the letter in which I advised you to stay until the Consistory. You have to return in the end, if you have had enough. Only, I am a bit embarrassed about my letters, as you didn t send me the dispatch I asked you to send three days before you leave Rome. I'll take the chance and continue to write you at the Grand Hotel, from where my letters will no doubt be forwarded to you. Today I did up my first small packages and sent the first two chapters of Rome to the translators. Caponi will have these two chapters in his hands this evening, with the authorization to begin in La Tribuna of December 23. I haven't seen Caponi again; the seven hundred francs are embarrassing to him. I have negotiated everywhere for Rome except with Spain and America. Spain will come, but I doubt very much that America will this time. That will make a hole. All the same, I am counting on the translations bringing in thirty to forty thousand francs, which is a reasonable figure. After my lunch, Jules having told me the masons had finished their work in the old pit, I went down to see. That will make a superb cellar, much bigger than our old wine cellar. It will be cooler than the one we re using now; and you could store wine there. But I think it ought rather to be made into a coal cellar. One could easily store thirty or forty thousand kilogrammes there if there were a real reason for buying coal en gros, in great quantity. You will see. I took the liberty of opening a letter addressed in your name and stamped with a stamp of Lagesse; and I was right, for it contained simply a receipt for two hundred francs that he no doubt owed you. Giacomelli has lost his wife. I am sending him your card and mine, with a word of sympathy. The day was quite cold and foggy. This is decidedly villainous weather. As soon as you are back, we will really move into our winter quarters. I forgot to say regarding the new cellar that the work on everything having to do with the other rooms is going to begin shortly. The architect of the house had a long meeting with the architect of no. 23, for it seems that there are very complicated questions about the wall in between. Happily, we didn t take it inside. But I will be content when our rooms upstairs are also finished. And that s all for today. Our journal is about to end, for your return is near. For me, your letters were a great pleasure every morning and I am happy to think that mine followed you everywhere, reminding you that the house was waiting for you and that you have an old and good friend there who loves you and in spite of everything dreams of your happiness as if it were his own. Monsieur Din just made me rage. He had stayed under... and I looked for him everywhere. I told him you were about to return, and I think he understood...". The following day, on the 20th, Zola writes: "This morning I received your letter in which you fixed your return for Monday. If thus you keep this date and if you don t stay in Rome until the Consistory, this letter is the last you will be able to receive in Rome, as it will arrive Friday morning and you should be leaving on Friday evening, according to the data you gave me. Thus, I am embarrassed as to an address for the letter I ll write you this evening and which will depart tomorrow. I m going to await your letter of tomorrow, and I ll make my decision if you have stuck to yours. In this case, this letter would be the last which I would send you to Rome, and I would address the one this evening to Turin, general delivery. By the way, I think Monday is an excellent date for your return".

Stock Code: BN#44233 Tag: