“Towards this epoch I met my two college friends again. One had gained some notoriety as a painter, the other was a student at the ecole polytechnique. We resumed our rambles in the woods and our discussions. This, I am convinced, was of great use to me, as our different ways of looking at things enabled me to judge of characters, and to appreciate differing opinions.
“Before I left college, viz., when I was 17, I had written the ‘Contes à Ninon.’ These I retouched a little, and determined to try my luck as a writer with them.
“As usual, with young and unknown writers, publishers received me and politely returned my manuscript. I tried my employer, but, although he encouraged me, and showed his sense of appreciation, by giving me a more responsible position, he refused to publish my story. Finally, I presented it to Mr. Hetzel, and to my indescribable joy he accepted it.
“The book was very favourably reviewed, but sold very poorly.
“Soon afterwards, I began contributing to the Vie Parisienne and the Petit Journal, and thus got launched in journalism.
the bedroom.
“As my evenings alone did not enable me to do all the work I had in hand, I resigned my situation in 1867, and devoted myself exclusively to literature.
“This did not improve my position, and I was obliged, for a certain time, to suffer new hardships and privations.
“It is needless to follow my career step by step. You know what I am now—you see I have succeeded.”