The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-08

What has happened to your book is
very queer" continued he; people buy it,
but no one talks about it. 1t is the first
time ever saw that happen in the book
trade 1t is very queer, very queerr'
Before we separated it was agreed that
800 new copies Of The Swallows" should
he printed Immediately, so as not to miss
the sale. In fact, few days after that l
saw my dear volume majcstically dis
played by the booksellers and ornamerited
with that flatter;ng statement, Second
edition."
Decidedly / was somebody. Neverthe-
less Massol's remark troubled me n little
No one talked of my book, no one seemed
to have read it except those to whom l
had sent copies.
After all, said to myself, 81 am very
foolish to torment myself in this way.
Since The Swallows sells, some one buys
The Swallows What more can ask?
BESIDES, the book contains only love verses
and verses of passion, and it must be WON
eu who buy it. Yes, womenr
Intoxicated by this thought, imagined
my blue covered book in the hands of all
the great ladies in the noble faubourg,
who rcad it in their beds at night and went
to sleep dreaming about it.
Encouraged by this first success / went
eagerly to work. | wrote my first play,
"The Grandmother" which, rs you know,
had an opportunity to succeed ut the
Odeon. Then came the Victims of Mar
riage" at the Gymnasc, the 1.-Two Broth
crs"-at the Coincide Franchise, then still
others. was becoming II full nedged au-
thor, us we say. Years passed, and 1
thought no more of my Swallows" the
ti1nld and forgotten work of my youth.
1t was at this time that | experienced
one of the great griefs of my lfe-I lost
my dear grandfather. lie gradually wore
out, cared for and lovcP by us all to his
last hour. lie had one of those rare natures
in which cgotism finds no place, and whose
active kindness rccols before no trouble
that may bring some JOY to loved ones:
one of those tender and delicate souls, al
ways forgetting themselves to think only
of others, considering themselves AMPLY
repaid by Il smile, and finding their happi-
ness in the pleasures they are able to give
| shall always remember the sadness
with which we entered his rooms n month
after the dear mans death They had re-
n;sned just rs they were, the old furniture
and familiar objects reminding us of him.
Rays of sunlight slipping through the
window blinds fell obliqucly upon the
Powered carpet making slender golden
bars in which the dust was dancing We
walked on tiptoe and spoke in low tones
the big bed with drawn curtains or in
the armchair he had loved, or by the table
where he used to spread his newspaper or
make up his accounts, with that whole
some cXaetness which he carried into the
smallest details Of life.
a servant, recently come into the house
opened the blinds abruptly, Indifferent To
an emotion which he could not under
stand. Suddenly the whole room was
filled with light from outside, and with it
came Il flood of fresh air. bringing the
ronr of the street. Death was allowing
life to enter; and with life, cruel necessi-
ties.
The dead mans rooms were to be rented:
the furniture must he removed, the ward
robes cmpticd and all made clean for tho
stranger who WIS coming to take his place
The dead go quickly, especially in largo
citios-tbosc immense hives in perpetual
activity. Scarcely is cell emptied of its
humninG life when another life installs it
self there, Ignorant alike of that which has
preceded it and that which will follow.
The moving commenced and was sadly
affected 1t seemed to me rs if all that
still remained of my grandfather was be-
ing scattered and consumed little by little
Some one, pointing ont to me the lower
part of the cupboard which he had just
op-hcd, exclaimed i'll an astonished tone:
"IIcnry! Come and seer
l looked Immediately and / saw-oh.
dear grandfather dear and excellent mani
i SAW the lower shelves filled with uncut
volumes all alike, bound in the blue covers
| knew SO well-"The SwallowsW The
Swalowsn'
The first edition OF my book was there.
almost cntirc-that edition so quickly
bought up, (which people buy and about
which no one talks" rs Massol had said.
My grandfather had bought it, He was
that mysterious publc--he those beautiful
duchcsscs whom had imagined tlevourinu
my verses, proppcd up i'll the midst of their
lace pillows.
l kneclcd down and with trembling hand
touched the Volumes ut the same time
both spotless and old The stamps of the
most distant booksellers were ON some of
them. One came from the Boulevard du
Temple, another from the galleries of the
Odcon. All the time that l was handling
them seemed to see the dear man again
setting out on foot and hurrying to the
four corners of Paris to buy his grandson's
book! l could see him enter the shop
proudly ask for 1.-The Swallows" by Hen
ry Didier, take two or three copies (iS
many rs he could without awakening the
merchants suspicion) and carry them un
der his arm, laughing to himself at his
touching ruse. AS soon rs he entered he
would run quickly to this cupboard and
conceal his booty, happy to see the row
growing longer and longer. He had kept
his secret for all these years. His delcacy
had not wanted the thunks to which it had
so many rights!
And then remembered the expression
he had used as he smiled behind his glasses
the day received the letter from Massol:
You are happy, little one? Well that is
all that is nccessary!'
Yes, | was happy, dear grandfathcri No