The morning call., 1893-06-25
Raoul Duyal, Hetsel the younger and my
brother in the Mediterranean,

Raoul Duyal, Hetsel the younger and my
brother in the Mediterranean.
travelling was the pleasure of nv life.
and it was with great regret that in 1886 |
was forced to give it up in consequence of
my accident. You know the sad story Of
how nephew of mine, who adOred me
anu OF whom | was also very fond. came to
see me at Amiens one day, and after NUT
tering something wildly drew a revolver
and fired at me, wounding me in the left leg
and tanning me for life. The wound has
removed. The poor lad was out of his
mind. and said that he had done this in
order to draw attention to my claims
to seat in the French Academy. He
Is now in an asylum, and | fear that he
will never be cured. The great regret that
this causes me is chiefly that I shall never
be able to see America again. should so
have iikeC to have gone to Chicago this.
year, but IN the state of my health and
with this eyer-open wound 1t is quite I'M
possible. [ do so love America and the
Americans. AS you are writing for
America be sure to tell them that if they
love me, as know they do, for l receive
thousands OF letters every year FROM the
States, that l return their affection with
ali my heart. Oh, if l could only go and
see them all. it would be the great joy Of
my life!
Though most of the geography in my
novels is taken from personal eXamln alton
lsometimes have had to rely on my read
ing Tor my descriptions. Thus, in the
novel which l spoke about, pitt Bon
homme,' which is coming out, 1 describe
the adventure OF a lad in Ireland. | take
him from the age of 2 and give his life up
to the age of 49, when he makes his for
tune and that of all his friends, which is a
novel denouement, is it not? He travels
Trel nd 7
visited Ireland, my description OF the
scenery and localities have been taken from
books.
Il have books ahead for years. The
next novel. that is TO say the one that will
be published next year, is entitled Les
Adventures MlrlfiQues de Maitre Antifer,'
and IS entirely terminated. 1t is a story
of treasure seeking and finding, and the
plot turns on very curious geometrical
problem. ! am now y6ked to the novel
which will appear in 1895, but | can't say
anything about il as it is not yet in any
kind of shape. Between times l write
short stories. Thus. in the next Christmas
number OF the Figaro there will be pub
ished tale of mine entitled Monsieur
Rediez ct MademOiseIle Mibemor (rediez
and mibemOl, as you know, are exactly
the same notes on a piano.. You see the
drift? There my musical knowledge came
IN play. Nothing that one has learned is
ever wasted.
People often ask me, as you have done,
why l reside in Amiens, l who am so
thoroughly Partisan in my instincts. Well,
because. as / have told you, | have Breton
blood in me, and love calm and quiet, and
could never be happier than in cl0ister
A quiet life of study and work is my de-
light. / came to Amiens first in 1857. where
L met the lady who is now my wife, and
who at that time-her name was Nine. de
Vianne-was widow with two little
daughters. Family ties and the quiet
OF the place have bound me to
Amiens ever since. 1t is good
thing, for. as HctZel said to me the
other day. il had lived in Paris | should
have written at least ten novels less than
1 have done l enjoy my life here very
much. have told you how L work in the
morning and how read in the afternoon.
| take as much exercise as / can. That
has been the secret of health and strength.
And l continue very fond of the theater,
ard whenever there is play at the little
theater here you may be sure to find Nine.
Jules Verne and her husband in their box.
On those days We dine at the Hotel CONT
mental so as TO have little outing and to
give our servants rest. Our only child,
Michel, lives in Paris, where he is married
and has children. He writes ably on scien-
have his portrait in the photograph of my
house. II is Follett, my dear old dog"
l then asked Mr. Verne q question
which, though indiscreet, seemed neces-
sary. | had heard that the income re-
ceived by him from his wonderful books
has been less than that earned by an
ordinary journalist. | had heard it stated
on the very best authority that Jules
Verne. taking an average, had never
earned more than $1,000 year. NJ. Verne
said: Il would rather say nothing about
that 1t is true that my first book. incIud-
ing nv most successful ones. were sold for
1.-THE of their value. but after 1875, that is
TO say after Niche ell Strogoff, my.arrange-
ments were altered and gave me fair
share OF the profits of my novels. But |
nave no complaints to make.
"All the better II my publish has made
money too. Certainly / might regret that
| didn't make better arrangements for my
productions. Thus LIE -Four du Monde
has in France alone produced 10000 600 of
francs and Michael Strogoff' 7,000 600, OF
which l have had very much less than my
share. But am not and never have been
money-gettiDg man. / am man of let
tiers and an artist, living in the pursuit of
the ideal, running wild over an idea, and
glowing with enthusiasm over my work.
and when my work is done. putting it
aside and forgetting all about it so CON-
pletely that l often sit down in my study
and pick up novel by Jules Verne and
read it with enjoyment. A little more
justice to me from my countrymen would
have been priced by me one million times
more than the thousands of dollars which
my books should have given me more than
they did give me each year. That is what
/ regret and always shall regret"
l glanced at the red rosette of officer of
the Legion of Honor in the buttonhole of
the masters easy blue jacket.
YES" he said, "that is some recogni-
tion." Then with smile, II was the last
man decorated by the empire. Two hours
after my decree was signed the empire
ceased to be. My promotion to officer was
signed in July of last year. But it is not
decorations that banker after any more
than gold. 1t is that people should see
what l have done or tried to do, and
should not overlook the artist in the tale
teller. l am an artist" repeated Jules
Verne. drawing himself up and setting his
foot sturdily down on the carpet.
II am an artist" said Jules Verne.
America. as long as she reads, shall echo
him. ROBERT II. SHERARD,
HE WAS NEAR-SIGHTED