Description

FIRST EDITION.

One of 350 copies reserved for the press.

SUPERB AUTOGRAPH ENVOILED signed to Colette :

"to Colette, who will recognise the scent of these gardens and these people
his admirer and friend
François Mauriac

François Mauriac and Colette both fascinated and distrusted each other. The former made no secret of the fact that he would like to "convert" Colette, who claimed to be a non-believer, but who, as she admitted to Mauriac, would like to find the black missal of her childhood. As soon as this wish is expressed, it becomes reality, as the author of Gigi tells the author of Thérèse Desqueroux:
"Yesterday morning, a black, ugly, worn-out parishioner was dropped off at my house... in short, just as I had requested. And I said: "How hurried Mauriac was! But a note attached to the book showed me that it had come from a very sick woman, whom I know only through her letters".
Colette did not hide from Mauriac how troubled she was by this gift and by the event that followed: "Maurice and I are absolutely crazy about this story [...] Since I have had this book, I have not failed to read in it, every day, what I had promised you I would read in it. [...] I feel wild about a lot of things, but I don't want to, quite the opposite.
Colette. The eternal apprentice, Jean Chalon.

A fine copy, in a fine recognisable binding, attributable according to an internal note to Pierre-Lucien Martin.