CLVI. TO GUSTAVE FLAUBERT, in Paris
Nohant, 19 March, 1870
I know, my friend, that you are very devoted to her. I know that she
[Footnote: Letter written about the rumour current, that George Sand
had meant to depict the Empress in one of the chief characters of
her novel, Malgre tout; the letter was sent by Flaubert to Madame
Cornu, god-child of Queen Hortense, and foster-sister of Napoleon
III.] is very kind to unfortunates who have been recommended to her;
that is all that I know of her private life. I have never had any
revelation nor document about her, NOT A WORD, NOT A DEED, which
would authorize me to depict her. So I have drawn only a figure of
fancy, I swear it, and those who pretended to recognize her in a
satire would be, in any case, bad servants and bad friends.
But I don't write satires: I am ignorant even of the meaning of the
word. I don't write PORTRAITS either; it is not my style. I invent.
The public, who does not know in what invention consists, thinks it
sees everywhere models. It is mistaken and it degrades art.
This is my SINCERE answer, I have only enough time to mail it.