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=[http://www.corr-proust.org/letter/03097 Marcel Proust à Lionel Hauser le samedi 13 mai 1916]=  
=[https://proust.elan-numerique.fr/letter/03097 Marcel Proust to Lionel Hauser Saturday 13 May 1916]=
<small>(Click on the link above to see this letter and its notes in the ''Corr-Proust'' digital edition, including all relevant hyperlinks.)</small>
<small>(Click on the link above to see this letter and its notes in the ''Corr-Proust'' digital edition, including all relevant hyperlinks.)</small>


Samedi 13 mai 1916
Saturday 13 May 1916


Mon cher Lionel
My dear Lionel


Je te remercie de vouloir bien veiller ainsi au grain, et admire en même temps que ta double mentalité de natif d'un pays allié (Portugal)<ref name="n1" /> et de Français d'adoption te fasse rechercher avec soin les occasions d'aider M. Ribot, soit par la souscription à l'emprunt national (que les grandes banques conseillèrent, sans la faciliter) soit par le prêt de valeurs neutres<ref name="n2" />. Pour arriver à ces dernières je te rappellerai, ce qui, je comprends n'est pas resté gravé en caractères flamboyants parmi tes plus saisissants souvenirs, que j'ai, sur ton conseil, vendu il y a quelques mois Nord Espagne, Saragosse et Hollandais, valeurs que tu me cites et que je ne possède plus<ref name="n3" />. Par contre je possède les Suez et l'Égyptien (et même du Brésilien). Si le prêt n'empêche pas, ou ne rend pas difficile, la vente, j'y suis très favorable. Mais tu sais que l'Égyptien figure sur ma liste de valeurs don’t la vente doit arriver à rembourser mes dettes au Crédit Industriel<ref name="n4" />. Comme sur cette liste, sauf les valeurs précitées et l'Interborough, le Crédit Industriel, peut-être mou, peut-être contraint, n'a encore rien pu vendre, je ne voudrais remettre mes titres égyptiens au Ministre des finances, que si cela ne m'empêche pas de les vendre pour ne plus payer 8 % d'intérêts, sans compter des « agios » assez obscurs et des intérêts « moratoriés »<ref name="n5" /> (« Dieu qu'en termes gallants ces choses-là sont mises »)<ref name="n6" />. Ne prends pas la peine de me répondre à cet égard. Si tu me dis de prêter au Ministre des finances mes Suez et mes Égyptiens (j'ai aussi du Crédit foncier égyptien), je conclurai que le prêt n'empêche pas la vente et je signerai tout ce que tu m'enverras à signer. Quant à la substitution des titres, le 5 % au porteur ne serait-il pas plus pratique pour le cas où l'extinction de ma dette en demanderait quelques ventes plus tard ? Encore sur ce point ne me réponds pas. Si tu as pour faire accepter cette substitution à intervenir auprès du Crédit Industriel, tu devrais bien par la même occasion leur conseiller de se contenter, après avoir tant gagné à mes dépens, de 6 % (mais sans mettre en cause le Directeur de l'Agence. Sinon je préfère payer 8 %)<ref name="n7" />. À l'occasion j'aimerais que tu me dises si les banques comme la Banque Rothschild et le Crédit Industriel avertissent leurs clients quand ils gagnent des lots. J'ai des foncières, des communales, un bon de la Presse, et ne regarde jamais les tirages. Enfin pour terminer mon pharmacien<ref name="n8" /> me présentant pour fin courant une note formidable<ref name="n9" />, tu serais bien gentil de me faire dire ce que je suis en mesure de faire toucher chez toi.
I thank you for keeping such a close eye on things, and admire at the same time that your double mentality as a native of an allied country (Portugal)<ref name="n1" /> and as an adopted Frenchman makes you look with care for opportunities to help M. Ribot, either by the subscription to the national loan (that the big banks advise, without facilitating it) or the loan of neutral stocks<ref name="n2" />. To get to the latter, I will remind you of something that  I understand has not remained engraved in fiery letters among your keenest memories, that I have, on your advice, sold a few months ago Nord Espagne, Saragosse and Hollandais, stocks that you quoted me and that I no longer possess<ref name="n3" />. On the other hand I have the Suez and Egyptian (and even the Brazilian). If credit doesn’t prevent, or make the sale difficult, I’ll be in favour of it. But you know the Egyptian appears on my list of stocks the sale of which must be sufficient to reimburse my debts to the Crédit Industriel<ref name="n4" />. As on this list, excluding the aforementioned stocks and Interborough, the Crédit Industriel, perhaps weak, perhaps strong, has not yet been able to sell anything, I would not like to hand over my Egyptian securities to the Finance Minister, if that does not prevent me from selling them so as not to pay 8% interest, without accounting for quite obscure “bank charges” and “moratory” interests<ref name="n5" /> (“Good Lord, what in gallant terms these things are phrased”) <ref name="n6" />. Don't trouble yourself replying to all this. If you tell me to offer the Minister of Finances my Suez and my Egyptians (I also have Crédit Foncier Égyptien), I will conclude that the loan does not prevent the sale and I will sign all that you send to me to sign. As for the substitution of securities, would not the 5% bearer bonds be more useful in case extinguishing my debt requires some sales later on? Once again don't reply to me on this point. If you have to intervene with Crédit Industriel in order to get this substitution accepted, you really should at the same time advise them to be satisfied, having earned so much at my expense, with 6% (but without calling the Director of the Agency into question. Otherwise I would prefer to pay 8%)<ref name="n7" />. When the opportunity arises I would like you to tell me if banks like the Banque Rothschild and the Crédit Industriel notify their clients when they earn dividends. I have property shares, municipal shares, a bond from La Presse, and I never watch the drawing of lots. Finally to conclude, my pharmacist <ref name="n8" /> presenting me with an astonishing bill for the end of the month<ref name="n9" />, it would be very kind of you to tell me what I am able to take out of your bank.


Le mystère du Caucasian persiste : le lendemain du jour où j'ai accepté la transaction de Léon il a fait un bond de 10 francs et n'a plus bougé<ref name="n10" />.
The mystery of the Caucasian persists: the day after I accepted Léon’s transaction he made 10 francs on a bond that has not moved since<ref name="n10" />.


Mille affections reconnaissantes de ton
With much affectionate gratitude from your


Marcel Proust
Marcel Proust
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<references>
<references>


<ref name="n1"> Note 1 </ref>
<ref name="n1"> Le Figaro, 10 March 1916, page 2, announces: "Germano-Portuguese breakdown of relations: The German minister in Lisbon recalled." The following day the same newspaper announced: "Germano-Portuguese breakdown of relations: State of war declared." In his reply of 17 May 1916 Hauser corrects Proust's error: "I have never had Portuguese nationality. I was born a British subject having been born on British soil (that is to say Gibraltar)." (CP 03099; Kolb, XV, no. 35). [PK, FP] </ref>


<ref name="n2"> Voir la lettre de Hauser du 12 mai 1916 : « notre Ministre des Finances vient de s'adresser aux porteurs de valeurs des pays neutres, les invitant à lui prêter certaines de ces valeurs pour lui permettre de se procurer du change. » (CP 03096 ; Kolb, XV, nº 32). [FP] </ref>
<ref name="n2"> See Hauser's letter of 12 May 1916: "our Finance Minister has just addressed holders of neutral countries' shares, inviting them to loan certain of those shares to enable him to procure foreign exchange." (CP 03096; Kolb, XV, no. 32). [FP] </ref>


<ref name="n3"> Il semble que Hauser avait proposé à Proust, au mois d'octobre 1915, de vendre des actions de chemin de fer Nord Espagne, Interborough et Hollandais, afin d'y substituer « de meilleurs achats ». Le 25 novembre suivant, Proust annonce que le Nord Espagne et le Saragosse sont « déjà vendus ». La vente du « Hollandais » a dû s'effectuer peu de jours après le 16 décembre. Voir les lettres de Proust à Hauser du [26 novembre 1915] (CP 03035 ; Kolb, XIV, n° 147) et du 16 décembre 1915 (CP 03045 ; Kolb, XIV, n° 157), et la lettre de Hauser à Proust du 17 décembre 1915 (CP 03046 ; Kolb, XIV, n° 158). [PK] </ref>
<ref name="n3"> It appears that Hauser had proposed to Proust, in October 1915, that he sell his stocks in Chemin de Fer Nord Espagne, Interborough and Hollandais, in order to substitute them for "more favourable purchases". On the 25 November following, Proust announced that the Nord Espagne and Sargosse were "already sold." The sale of "Hollandais" must have taken place a few days after 16 December. See Proust's letters to Hauser of [26 November 1915] (CP 03035; Kolb, XIV, no. 147) and 16 December 1915 (CP 03045; Kolb,XIV, no. 157), and also the letter from Hauser to Proust, 17 December 1915 (CP 03046; Kolb, XIV, no. 158). [PK] </ref>


<ref name="n4"> Au sujet de l'emprunt contracté par Proust au Crédit industriel et commercial, voir la lettre CP 03096, note 2. Sur les 218 000 francs empruntés en 1912, il en devait encore 184 000 au 28 février 1916, selon la vérification établie par Hauser (voir CP 03115 ; Kolb, XV, n° 51). [FP, FL] </ref>
<ref name="n4"> On the subject of the loan contracted by Proust with Crédit Industriel et Commercial, see letter CP 03096, note 2. Out of the 218,000 francs borrowed in 1912, he still owed 184,000 on 28 February 1916, according to the audit carried out by Hauser (see CP 03115; Kolb, XV, no. 51). [FP, FL] </ref>


<ref name="n5"> Il s'agit des frais dus sur la différence de cours des valeurs achetées à terme avant la guerre, dont le cours avait chuté à cause du conflit et de la fermeture des Bourses. Alors que le moratorium décidé fin juillet 1914 (voir CP 02812, note 14) avait suspendu toutes les opérations boursières et que sa prorogation laissait penser que les liquidations des engagements à terme ne reprendraient qu'après la guerre, quand les valeurs boursières auraient retrouvé un cours normal, un décret du 16 septembre 1915 avait permis la reprise des liquidations, en étalant le paiement des « différences », par dixièmes, de la fin septembre 1915 à la fin juin 1916 : « ce règlement des différences […] se fera en dix portions mensuelles à partir de la prochaine liquidation [liquidation de la fin septembre 1915], la première portion devant être versée en même temps que les intérêts moratoires. » (Le Temps, 20 septembre 1915, « Semaine financière », p. 3.) Proust commentait cette situation dans sa lettre du 22 octobre 1915 à Nicolas Cottin, p. 2-3 (voir CP 03007, note 8 ; Kolb, XIV, n° 119). [FL] </ref>
<ref name="n5"> This refers to the fees due on the difference in the prices of shares forward purchased before the war, whose prices had collapsed because of the conflict and the closure of the Stock Markets. When the moratorium put in place at the end of July 1914 (see CP 02812, note 14) suspended all stock market activity and which prorogation made it seem that the liquidation of future liabilities would not be recovered until after the war, when market shares would have returned to their normal prices, a decree of 16 September 1915 had allowed the resumption of liquidations, by spreading the payment of "the differences", in tenths, from the end of September 1915 to the end of June 1916: "the settlement of differences [...] will be made in ten monthly instalments starting from the next liquidation [liquidation from the end of September 1915], the first instalment to be paid at the same time as the default interests." (Le Temps, 20 September 1915, "Semaine financière" [The Financial Week], p. 3.) Proust commented upon this situation in his letter of 22 October 1915 to Nicolas Cottin, p. 2-3 (see CP 03007, note 8; Kolb, XIV, no. 119). [FL] </ref>


<ref name="n6"> Molière, Le Misanthrope, acte I, scène 2, vers 325 (Philinte à propos du sonnet d'Oronte) : « Ah ! qu'en termes galants ces choses-là sont mises ! » [PK] </ref>
<ref name="n6"> Molière, Le Misanthrope, act I, scene 2, line 325 (Philinte commenting on a sonnet by Oronte): "Ah ! qu'en termes galants ces choses-là sont mises !" [PK] </ref>


<ref name="n7"> Proust écrivait déjà à Hauser le [25 janvier 1916], au sujet de Gaston Roüillard de Kerivily : « j'ai vu enfin le Directeur de l'Agence qui a été très gentil, et ne voudrais pas le désobliger » (CP 03071 ; Kolb, XV, nº 7). Il insistait de nouveau le [28 janvier 1916] : « … faire avoir des ennuis à quelqu'un d'obligeant, me causerait une peine profonde, cela dût-il diminuer ma dette » (CP 03073 ; Kolb, XV, nº 9). [FP] </ref>
<ref name="n7"> Proust had already written to Hauser on [25 January 1916], on the subject of Gaston Roüillard de Kerivily: "I finally saw the Director of the Agency who has been very kind, and I wouldn't like to disoblige him" (CP 03071; Kolb, XV, no. 7). He insisted again [28 January 1916]: "... to cause a nuisance to someone so obliging would cause me deep pain, even if it were to reduce my debt" (CP 03073; Kolb, XV, no. 9). [FP] </ref>


<ref name="n8"> D'après les souvenirs de Céleste Albaret, il s'agit de « la pharmacie Leclerc, rue Vignon, au coin de la rue de Sèze », dans le 9e arrondissement (Monsieur Proust, souvenirs recueillis par Georges Belmont, Paris, Robert Laffont, 1973, p. 84). [FP] </ref>
<ref name="n8"> According to Céleste Albaret's recollections, this refers to "Leclerc's pharmacy, rue Vignon, on the corner of rue de Sèze", in the 9th arrondissement (Monsieur Proust, souvenirs recueillis par Georges Belmont, Paris, Robert Laffont, 1973, p. 84). [FP] </ref>


<ref name="n9"> Hauser calculait, en 1909, que Proust dépensait en médicaments 6 000 francs par an. Voir sa lettre à Proust du 26 février 1909 (CP 01944 ; Kolb, IX, n° 19). [PK] </ref>
<ref name="n9"> In 1909 Hauser calculated that Proust was spending 6,000 francs a year in medications. See his letter to Proust of 26 February 1909 (CP 01944; Kolb, IX, no. 19). [PK] </ref>


<ref name="n10"> Allusion à la transaction que Proust avait conclue avec le coulissier David Léon à la fin du mois de janvier 1916 sur des actions de North Caucasian Oil Fields. Voir la lettre de Hauser à Proust du 26 janvier 1916 (CP 03072 ; Kolb, XV, n° 8) et celle de Proust à Hauser du [vendredi matin 28 janvier 1916] (CP 03073 ; Kolb, XV, n° 9). [PK] </ref>
<ref name="n10"> Allusion to the transaction that Proust had concluded with the broker David Léon at the end of January 1916 over stocks in North Caucasian Oil Fields. See Hauser's letter to Proust of 26 January 1916 (CP 03072; Kolb, XV, no. 8) and that of Proust to Hauser of [Friday morning 28 January 1916] (CP 03073; Kolb, XV, no. 9). [PK] </ref>


<ref name="n11"> (Notes de traduction) </ref>  
<ref name="n11"> Translation notes: </ref>  


<ref name="n12"> (Contributeurs) </ref>
<ref name="n12"> Contributors: Yorktaylors</ref>


</references>
</references>

Latest revision as of 23:27, 5 October 2023


Other languages:

Marcel Proust to Lionel Hauser Saturday 13 May 1916

(Click on the link above to see this letter and its notes in the Corr-Proust digital edition, including all relevant hyperlinks.)

Saturday 13 May 1916

My dear Lionel

I thank you for keeping such a close eye on things, and admire at the same time that your double mentality as a native of an allied country (Portugal)[1] and as an adopted Frenchman makes you look with care for opportunities to help M. Ribot, either by the subscription to the national loan (that the big banks advise, without facilitating it) or the loan of neutral stocks[2]. To get to the latter, I will remind you of something that I understand has not remained engraved in fiery letters among your keenest memories, that I have, on your advice, sold a few months ago Nord Espagne, Saragosse and Hollandais, stocks that you quoted me and that I no longer possess[3]. On the other hand I have the Suez and Egyptian (and even the Brazilian). If credit doesn’t prevent, or make the sale difficult, I’ll be in favour of it. But you know the Egyptian appears on my list of stocks the sale of which must be sufficient to reimburse my debts to the Crédit Industriel[4]. As on this list, excluding the aforementioned stocks and Interborough, the Crédit Industriel, perhaps weak, perhaps strong, has not yet been able to sell anything, I would not like to hand over my Egyptian securities to the Finance Minister, if that does not prevent me from selling them so as not to pay 8% interest, without accounting for quite obscure “bank charges” and “moratory” interests[5] (“Good Lord, what in gallant terms these things are phrased”) [6]. Don't trouble yourself replying to all this. If you tell me to offer the Minister of Finances my Suez and my Egyptians (I also have Crédit Foncier Égyptien), I will conclude that the loan does not prevent the sale and I will sign all that you send to me to sign. As for the substitution of securities, would not the 5% bearer bonds be more useful in case extinguishing my debt requires some sales later on? Once again don't reply to me on this point. If you have to intervene with Crédit Industriel in order to get this substitution accepted, you really should at the same time advise them to be satisfied, having earned so much at my expense, with 6% (but without calling the Director of the Agency into question. Otherwise I would prefer to pay 8%)[7]. When the opportunity arises I would like you to tell me if banks like the Banque Rothschild and the Crédit Industriel notify their clients when they earn dividends. I have property shares, municipal shares, a bond from La Presse, and I never watch the drawing of lots. Finally to conclude, my pharmacist [8] presenting me with an astonishing bill for the end of the month[9], it would be very kind of you to tell me what I am able to take out of your bank.

The mystery of the Caucasian persists: the day after I accepted Léon’s transaction he made 10 francs on a bond that has not moved since[10].

With much affectionate gratitude from your

Marcel Proust

[11] [12]

Notes

  1. ↑ Le Figaro, 10 March 1916, page 2, announces: "Germano-Portuguese breakdown of relations: The German minister in Lisbon recalled." The following day the same newspaper announced: "Germano-Portuguese breakdown of relations: State of war declared." In his reply of 17 May 1916 Hauser corrects Proust's error: "I have never had Portuguese nationality. I was born a British subject having been born on British soil (that is to say Gibraltar)." (CP 03099; Kolb, XV, no. 35). [PK, FP]
  2. ↑ See Hauser's letter of 12 May 1916: "our Finance Minister has just addressed holders of neutral countries' shares, inviting them to loan certain of those shares to enable him to procure foreign exchange." (CP 03096; Kolb, XV, no. 32). [FP]
  3. ↑ It appears that Hauser had proposed to Proust, in October 1915, that he sell his stocks in Chemin de Fer Nord Espagne, Interborough and Hollandais, in order to substitute them for "more favourable purchases". On the 25 November following, Proust announced that the Nord Espagne and Sargosse were "already sold." The sale of "Hollandais" must have taken place a few days after 16 December. See Proust's letters to Hauser of [26 November 1915] (CP 03035; Kolb, XIV, no. 147) and 16 December 1915 (CP 03045; Kolb,XIV, no. 157), and also the letter from Hauser to Proust, 17 December 1915 (CP 03046; Kolb, XIV, no. 158). [PK]
  4. ↑ On the subject of the loan contracted by Proust with Crédit Industriel et Commercial, see letter CP 03096, note 2. Out of the 218,000 francs borrowed in 1912, he still owed 184,000 on 28 February 1916, according to the audit carried out by Hauser (see CP 03115; Kolb, XV, no. 51). [FP, FL]
  5. ↑ This refers to the fees due on the difference in the prices of shares forward purchased before the war, whose prices had collapsed because of the conflict and the closure of the Stock Markets. When the moratorium put in place at the end of July 1914 (see CP 02812, note 14) suspended all stock market activity and which prorogation made it seem that the liquidation of future liabilities would not be recovered until after the war, when market shares would have returned to their normal prices, a decree of 16 September 1915 had allowed the resumption of liquidations, by spreading the payment of "the differences", in tenths, from the end of September 1915 to the end of June 1916: "the settlement of differences [...] will be made in ten monthly instalments starting from the next liquidation [liquidation from the end of September 1915], the first instalment to be paid at the same time as the default interests." (Le Temps, 20 September 1915, "Semaine financière" [The Financial Week], p. 3.) Proust commented upon this situation in his letter of 22 October 1915 to Nicolas Cottin, p. 2-3 (see CP 03007, note 8; Kolb, XIV, no. 119). [FL]
  6. ↑ Molière, Le Misanthrope, act I, scene 2, line 325 (Philinte commenting on a sonnet by Oronte): "Ah ! qu'en termes galants ces choses-là sont mises !" [PK]
  7. ↑ Proust had already written to Hauser on [25 January 1916], on the subject of Gaston Roüillard de Kerivily: "I finally saw the Director of the Agency who has been very kind, and I wouldn't like to disoblige him" (CP 03071; Kolb, XV, no. 7). He insisted again [28 January 1916]: "... to cause a nuisance to someone so obliging would cause me deep pain, even if it were to reduce my debt" (CP 03073; Kolb, XV, no. 9). [FP]
  8. ↑ According to Céleste Albaret's recollections, this refers to "Leclerc's pharmacy, rue Vignon, on the corner of rue de Sèze", in the 9th arrondissement (Monsieur Proust, souvenirs recueillis par Georges Belmont, Paris, Robert Laffont, 1973, p. 84). [FP]
  9. ↑ In 1909 Hauser calculated that Proust was spending 6,000 francs a year in medications. See his letter to Proust of 26 February 1909 (CP 01944; Kolb, IX, no. 19). [PK]
  10. ↑ Allusion to the transaction that Proust had concluded with the broker David Léon at the end of January 1916 over stocks in North Caucasian Oil Fields. See Hauser's letter to Proust of 26 January 1916 (CP 03072; Kolb, XV, no. 8) and that of Proust to Hauser of [Friday morning 28 January 1916] (CP 03073; Kolb, XV, no. 9). [PK]
  11. ↑ Translation notes:
  12. ↑ Contributors: Yorktaylors
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