XXXVI. Monsieur Gustave Flobert at Croisset,
Rouen [The postage stamp bears the mark, Paris, 4, December, 1866]
Sir the noise that you make in literature by your distinguished
talent I also made in my day in the manner that my means permitted
me I began in 1804 under the auspices of the celebrated Madame Saqui
and bore off palms and left memories in the annals of the tight-rope
and coregrafie balancer in all countries where I have been there
appreciated by generals and other officers of the Empire by whom I
have been solicited up to an advanced age so that wives of prefects
and ministers could not have been complimented about it I have read
your distinguished works notably Madame Bovarie of which I think I
am capable of being a model to you when she breaks the chains of her
feet to go where her heart calls her. I am well preserved for my
advanced age and if you have a repugnance for an artist in
misfortune, I should be content with your ideal sentiments. You can
then count on my heart not being able to dispose of my person being
married to a man of light character who squandered my wax cabinet
wherein were all figures of celebrities, kings, emperors, ancient
and modern and celebrated crimes, which if I had had your permission
about it you would have been placed in the number I had then a place
in the railroad substation to have charge of the cabinets which the
jealousy of my rival made me lose, it is in these sentiments that I
write you if you deign to write the history of my unhappy life you
alone would be worthy of it and would see in it things of which you
would be worthy of appreciating I shall present myself at your house
in Rouen whose address I had from M. Bouilhet who knows me well
having come to see me in his youth he will tell you that I have the
phthisic still agreeably and always faithful to all who knew me
whether in the civil or in the military and in these sentiments for
life your affectionate