Juliette Drouet's Love-Letters to Victor Hugo / Edited with a Biography of Juliette Drouet

by Juliette Drouet; Louis Guimbaud

From 1840 she dated every sheet. Consequently our work simultaneously achieves more precision and certainty.

When its difficulties have seemed insuperable, we have derived valuable encouragement from the sympathy of the literary students and friends who had urged us to undertake it, or were assisting us in its execution. We have pleasure in recording our thanks to the following: MM. Louis Barthou, Beuve, A. Blaizot, François Camailhac, Eugène Planès, Escolier, etc. b We have often wondered what the charming woman whose ideals, tastes, and habits have, by degrees, become almost as familiar to us as her handwriting, would have thought of our efforts. As far as she herself is concerned there can be but little doubt. She would have made fun of the undertaking. By dint of moving in the society of men of high literary attainments she had acquired a very modest estimate of her own wit and talent. In 1877, when the architect Roblin one day discovered her sorting out her “scribbles,” he thought she was attempting to write a book and gravely asked her “when it was to be published.” “What an idea!” she cried, and burst out laughing.

Such was not the opinion of Victor Hugo, however. That perfect artist attached the utmost importance to the writings of his friend. Each time she wished to destroy them he commanded her to preserve them. Whenever she proposed to bring them to a close, he insisted upon her continuing. We possess an unpublished letter from the poet in which he exclaims:

“Your letters, my Juliette, constitute my treasure, my casket of jewels, my riches! In them our joint lives are recorded day by day, thought by thought. All that you dreamed lies there, all that you suffered. They are charming mirrors, each one of which reflects a fresh aspect of your lovely soul.”

Surely such a phrase conveys approbation and sanction sufficient for both Juliette Drouet and her humble biographer.

CONTENTS

[PART I] BIOGRAPHICAL
[CHAPTER I]
PAGE
Julienne Gauvain	[1]
[CHAPTER II]
Princesse Négroni	[14]
[CHAPTER III]
“La Tristesse D’Olympio”	[33]
[CHAPTER IV]
The Shackles of Love	[45]
[CHAPTER V]
Claire Pradier	[69]
[CHAPTER VI]
“On an Island”	[84]
[CHAPTER VII]
“That which brings Satisfaction to the Heart”	[104]
[PART II]
LETTERS	[115]
[APPENDIX]
[I.] List of those of Victor Hugo’s Poems which were inspired by JulietteDrouet	[311]
[II.] Books concerning Juliette Drouet	[314]
[III.] Works of Art representing JulietteDrouet	[314]
[INDEX]	[317]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Victor Hugo and Juliette Drouet	[Photogravure Frontispiece]
FACING PAGE
The Château of Fougères in 1831	[1]
Claire Pradier as a Child	[8]
Victor Hugo as a Young Man	[16]
Juliette Drouet in the Rôle of La Princesse Négroni	[24]
Juliette Drouet in the Rôle of La Princesse Négroni	[32]
House in the Village of Les Metz, in the Parish ofJouy-en-Josas, Seine-et-Oise	[32]
Church of Bièvres, Seine-et-Oise	[40]
Victor Hugo about 1836	[48]
“Le Citoyen Victor Hugo jouant au Congrès de laPaix”	[64]
Claire Pradier at Fifteen	[72]
Claire Pradier on her Deathbed	[80]
Juliette Drouet in Jersey	[88]
Victor Hugo in Jersey	[96]
Victor Hugo, his Family, and Juliette Drouet atHauteville House	[104]
Juliette Drouet in 1883	[112]
Claire Pradier	[120]
Juliette Drouet about 1830	[128]
A Page of Juliette Drouet’s Note-book in 1834	[136]
Autograph Letter from Juliette Drouet to her daughter Claire	[144]
Victor Hugo	[160]
Caricature of Mlle. George, by Victor Hugo	[176]
Portrait of Victor Hugo by Himself	[176]
Autograph and Drawing by Juliette Drouet	[192]
The Bridge of Marne	[208]
A Dedication by Victor Hugo to Juliette Drouet	[224]
Juliette Drouet in 1846	[232]
Victor Hugo, Républicain	[240]
Drawing by Victor Hugo, signed “Toto”	[256]
The Flower and the Butterfly	[256]
Juliette Drouet’s Hand	[272]
Victor Hugo, by Rodin	[288]
Juliette Drouet about 1877	[296]
The Deathbed of Victor Hugo	[304]
A Dedication by Victor Hugo to Juliette Drouet	[304]
Book-plate designed for Juliette Drouet by VictorHugo	[312]