Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-05
NEW FIND OF HUGO LETTERS.


interesting Pictures of His Economy
In Early Life.
Paris Letter to the Philadelphia Ledger.
Some interesting letters written from Vic
tor Hugo to his wife during his exile in
Brussels in 1852 have just been puD.lshed
here for the first time. They show the
great poet in a very human light, for he
writes, as it were, in his dressing gown
and slippers in the most unaffected and
chatty manner possible. Thus in one Of
the earliest of the letters he urges his wife
to be economical and to take pains to
carefully exc out the money that he has
left her. He himself, he says, has enough
to go on with for some time, for 100 francs
will amply suffice him for a months ex-
penses. His lodging cost him but one franc
day, his breakfast half a franc, his din
ner franc and a quarter and his fire %
confines. The remaining 10 francs, he de-
clares. will suffice to pay his laundress and
to defray his little out-of-pocket expenses.
His son, Charles, was living on the same
scale. This is how the poet spent his day:
Il rise at s o'clock in the morning and call
Charles, who, nevertheless, stays in bed.
1 then work, keeping on till noon, the
breakfast hour. AT 1 sit down again to
work and stay writing till dinner; then I'M
til 10 strolling about or making calls From
10 to midnight work. At midnight I make
my bed and lie down. The sheets are hard
ly bigger than table napkins, and the blan-
kets are the size of small table cloth
have invented a mode of knitting them to-
gether so as to have my feet covered, and
will unravel the knitting before 1 give up
the room. l have the bed to air every day,
and make 1t every evening. Charles sleeps
like top" In another letter he describes
his call on M. Rogier, the minister of the
interior, to whom he was very frank con-
oil INT hat
he considered 1t was his duty to write the
history of the events he had Just witnessed
in Paris while they were fresh in his MEM
DRY. He felt, therefore, that ne could ac-
cept no conditions as regards his stay in
Belgium. The Belgian government might
evict him if they saw fit. But he asks his
wife whether the course he is determined
to take might inure to the disadvantage of
his sons. Tell me what you Think he
says. IF Anything 1 might write were
likely to injure them l should swallow my
anger and keep silence. In this case 1
shall confine myself to finishing my book
Les Miseries.' "-afterward. of course, the
celebrated Les Misera bles." 'fWho knows?
This may be my only chance Of finishing
it. M. -Rogier said that If published now
my stay in Brussels might seriously en-
barrass the government. Belgium was q
little state with strong and violent neigh
Dor. 1 said: Well, If 1 decide to publish,
l shall go to London We left on friendly
terms. He offered me some shirts. AS a
matter Of fact. need them. am without
clothes or body linen. Take the empty
trunk and fill 1t with my things. Do not
forget to pack in 1t my gray hose and
drawers. my second-best trousers, my old
gray trousers, my coat, my surtout with
military braiding. You will find the hood
on the carved oak settle. 1 also need the
new pair of shoes. Besides the pair at
home ordered another pair at Kuhn's in
the Rue de Valois. Send for and pay for
them QSf) and stuff them into the trunk"
Later on he writes: ITO succeed in ry
work here 1 must live like a Stole, and In
poverty. 1 say to every one that have no
need Of money. My wants are few and
can wait. Those who want money must be
the prey of money lenders. They are lost.
Look at Dumas. / am In a garnet with no
furniture but table, two chairs and a
wretcned bed. work the whole day and
hardly feel my poverty, and can live on 100
fir. a month. Offers of services crowd upon
me. Today young man introduced HIM
self in cafe. He was a painter and
wanted to paint me In my garnet and give
me the picture. The burgomaster has been
to see me. and asked what he could do for
me. Just one thing What is it? Not
to whitewash the facade Of your Hotel de
Vile You don't mean to say SO; Is 1t not
nicer to have IT white than dirty? No,
it's better dirty Well, then, to please
you there shall be no whitewash.' Since
you want to be agreeable. darken the bel
fry; you have made it look brand new"