The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-12

The Last Days of a Man of Genius
Ten Years of Acute Suffering.

The Last Days of a Man of Genius
Ten Years of Acute Suffering.
Paris Letter in London News.
Daudet's death was sudden, though long
appre hended. He had suffered for over fiji
teen years from ataXia. The
disease was acute for nearly ten years, and
had been nothing less than torturing for
the last four or live years, but it did not
interfere with his intellectual faculties. AS
the paralysis assembled the brain seemed as
II on the defensive, and putting forth all
its power to resist, but 1t became hyper
sensitive. 1t was almost painful to sit in
bis company at a luncheon or dinner where
there We're persons with v nom he was in
touch. They stimulated him to that de-
gree that he became like a burning house
tanned by a frosty wind and with no fire
engine to play upon it. There was no in
conference in the talk. 1t was more ex-
quisite. perhaps, than anything he wrote,
but his affiatuS had escaped his control.
He went on as though impelled to put forth
his most brilliant gifts. When the COM
pany began to drop Oft there was a col
lapse, and the t0rturing malady became ir-
resistible. But he was able to write books
and to arrange about revivals of his plays.
he very seldom, in the closing years of his
Champrosay, near the forest OF Senart,
where he spent his SummerS he used to be
wheeled into the garden and TO write. Then
he longed to be able to ramble along the
Seine or through field and forest. He was
forbidden to expend what vitality re-
manned to him in driving; Having, lost the
1880 ~ " 06hAAJ ~ 0ONA4
not recoup his strength. He was, in conse-
quence, worn to a skeleton. The atten-
uated, wan face was most pathetic. All
life seemed concentrated in the eyes, which
were less lambent, but more blazing black
than in youth. They revealed the intensity
Of his cerebral life.
His spirit also seemed to nave undergone
an alteration. He was naturally of a play
full humor and saw the world gilded with
sunshine. But Daudet the paralytic, in los
ing the mirthful play of fancy, gained in in
sight and pathos and tragical feeling. There
was a touch of Hamlet in those colloquial
monologueS in which he thought aloud. The
death last year of his old friend and mas
ter in the literary art, Edmond De Con-
court, was a severe blow to him. 1t took
place at Champrosay. where Goncourt was
staying on a visit. Daudet was down stairs
and his guest lying i'll on the first floor.
Nine. DauGet came down to say that Con
court was dying. Under the starting effect
of the news he rose, and, stepping from his
wheeled chair, went upstairs unaided. The
paralytic state quite disappeared, to return
when the collapse set in with redoubled
force. His mOrbidly quick ear heard the
death agony as he climbed the stairs. He
could hardly believe chat the white, rigid
face was Goncourt's. A Goctor was stand
ing by the dying man. What's the mat
ter?' asked Daudet Simply this: After
passing q good night the pulse suddenly
became quite wild, the heat increased to
fever pitch, the face became congested and
delirium set in" AS he spoke the doctor in
jected ether into the dying mans arm, and
Daudet, bending down, embraced him., ming
ling (as he said himSelf) his tears with the
cold sweat from Goncourt'S forehead. He
c~onjured him to look once more at him and
spoke endearingly to him. but no sign was
given. At length Goncourt cast off spas
medically Daudet's hand, as if wishing to be
let alone. He apparently did not want to be
retained, but to start at once on his soli-
tary journey. Thu reaction of the death
scene on Daudet was cruel. 1t was plain
that it had given a fatal shock.
Daudet lived for some time on a fifth floor
without a lift in the Rue de Beslechasse.
He had a fancy for rooms on upper stories.
He hoped that his malady might yield to
medical treatment when he took this fiat,
but climbing the stairs was too much for
him. He was thus, when in Paris, a pris-
oner. When he was last summer in the
country Nine. Daudet found a first floor be-
tween q court and garden in the Rue de
PUniversite. He was not allowed to go to
any trouble about the fitting, but he could
not help idgeting and worrying. When he
was brought from the country to pass the
winter at the new place he was pleased
with all the arrangements, but found that he
missed sadly the old dwelling to which he
had become accustomed. He was as if am
putated in the new one. The feeling wearied
him. All sorts of little counterirritants or
distractions were devised by the devoted
wife and children to take his mind from this
to come and chat with him about the re-
vival of 'Sapho." his book that he had just
finished and the work he was engaged at.
The prevailing cheerfulness around him
seemed TO have a happy influence.
He was in better spirits than usual when
he sat dow yesterday to dinner. Suddenly
he heaved a sigh and fell back in his chair
unconscious. His wife ran to help him, but
found there was no response. The children
ana a1i servants gatnefsd aa9un9 him Drs;
fetched in haste. They both said that death
had come, though he was not yet dead. A
priest also was summoned, and falling on
his knees, prayed. Then the face grew
gradually rigid, and the nostrils that had
been pinched and family quivering expanded
The tongue for an hour was drawn rhyth-
mically from the mouth. Artificial respira-
ton was found useless. He was no more.
But his family could not realize this, or
reconcile themselves to the idea of having
lost him.. They implored the doctors to per-
severe and refused to give up hoping, though
Daudet looked forward to spending a mer-
ry Christmas. Mile. Rejane. who is play
ing the part of Sapho, and Nine. Calve had
been invited to sup with him on Christmas
eve. Daudet was formerly a man of the
q~uietest manners; He was a beautiful per-
son. with one of those Saracelic beads
which one often sees in the south of France.
The black hair, of which he had quite a
shock, was glossy, and fell on his shoul-
ders. Those beautiful black eyes of his
were extremely n~earsighted. bat he learned
10 look well at everything within Nheir
range OF vision. and thus cultivated the
stead as a writer. He seemed to lie in am
bush for his characters, and to sketch them
Slyly. He thus sketched in lie Nabab'
NJ. Bravet. the deputy. who figures in the
novel as the Nabob. Daudet owed to his
SOGu OHlCeS MS duillTaD1e ana accomplished
wife. She is the daughter of a cabinet MAX
er, who had a contract to furnish the pal
aces of the Khedlve Ismail. The author
denied that lie Nabab' was a novel with
a key. He would nave been unfaithful to
his principles had he not drawn from ma
ture. He was able TO study the types in
that novel and in Les Rois en- Exil' when
a secretary of the Due De Morny. Before
he obtained the post at the Petit-Bourbon
he used TO dine at a cheap table d'hote with
Gambetta. That statesman was brought
into another novel as Numa Roumestan,
though Daudet himself disclaimed the iden-
titication. A very exalted lady-indeed, a
lady with an only son doomed TO a tragical
death-did not suspect when she visited the
De Mornys that Daudet was in ambush
there. He portrays her with some slight
differences in Jack" He was brought up
among pious Catholics and Royalists. His
aesthetic sense held him in the Catholic
Church. None the less, he was a Freethink-
er. Many of the newspapers are IN mourn
ing for him. They are unanimous in la
menting his death as a loss to france.
Bezenah Bcsted by Il
WHEELING, w. Va, Jan. 11.-Oscar