Have the goodness to transmit to Silvanit the last wishes of my poor
Theodore. [Footnote: Letter written by Eugene Lambert.]
VI. TO GUSTAVE FLAUBERT
Palaiseau 14 May, 1866
This is not a letter from Goulard. He is dead! The false Goulard
killed him by surpassing him in the real and the comic. But this
false Goulard also does not deny himself anything, the rascal!
Dear friend, I must tell you that I want to dedicate to you my novel
which is just coming out. But as every one has his own ideas on the
subject--as Goulard would say--I would like to know if you permit me
to put at the head of my title page simply: to my friend Gustave
Flaubert. I have formed the habit of putting my novels under the
patronage of a beloved name. I dedicated the last to Fromentin.
I am waiting until it is good weather to ask you to come to dine at
Palaiseau with Goulard's Sirenne, and some other Goulards of your
kind and of mine. Up to now it has been frightfully cold and it is
not worth the trouble to come to the country to catch a cold.