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Dear Sir
Dear Sir


J'aurai un conseil et peut-être un service (le conseil sera déjà un bien précieux service) à vous demander, au sujet du conseil de contre-réforme que comme officier rayé des cadres, je puis être appelé à passer<ref name="n2" />. Mais je viens d'avoir des crises d'asthme cardiaque tellement terribles que je ne sais encore quel jour je serai en état d'aller vous trouver<ref name="n3" />. Cette lettre n'a donc qu'un seul but : vous demander de ne pas me trouver mal élevé si le jour où je me sentirai en état de me lever, je me permets de faire téléphoner chez vous, vous demandant si vous pouvez par hasard me recevoir. Il est infiniment probable, — avec tant de travaux, portés avec l'aisance d'Hercule (qui lui aussi avait éprouvé selon un beau mythe la Jeunesse Éternelle<ref name="n4" />), mais enfin qui vous prennent tout votre temps<ref name="n5" /> — que vous ne pourrez pas me recevoir ce jour-là. Mais alors un autre jour je prendrai la liberté de retéléphoner. Et comme la classe déjà fort ancienne à laquelle j'appartiens ne sera appelée que dans les dernières, si même plusieurs fois de suite vous ne pouvez pas me recevoir il n'y aura aucun inconvénient à cela. D'ailleurs je viens d'être malade si violemment, qu'une période d'accalmie va peut-être succéder et qu'il me sera peut-être possible de me lever assez souvent, surtout pour un temps aussi court qu'aller chez vous. Ne prenez pas la peine de me répondre, ma lettre n'a qu'un seul but, vous annoncer mon téléphonage, l'expliquer, l'excuser, pour que vous ne le trouviez pas « cavalier ».
I would like to ask you for advice and perhaps a service (the advice will already be a very precious service), concerning the fact that I, as a discharged officer, may be called upon to appear before the medical board<ref name="n2" />. But I have recently had such terrible asthma attacks that I do not know yet what day I will be able to see you<ref name="n3" />. This letter has only one purpose: to ask you not to think me ill-mannered if, on the day I feel fit to get up, I take the liberty of telephoning you to asking if you could possibly see me. It is infinitely probable - with so much work, carried out with the ease of Hercules (who also had, according to a beautiful myth, Eternal Youth<ref name="n4" />), but which finally takes up all your time<ref name="n5" /> - that you will not be able to receive me on that day. But then another day I will take the liberty of telephoning again. And as the already very old class to which I belong will only be called last, it will be no inconvenience, even if you cannot receive me several times in a row. Besides, I have just been so violently ill that a period of calm will perhaps follow and it will be possible for me to get up quite often, especially for such a short time as going to your house. Don't bother to answer me, my letter has only one purpose, to announce my phone call, to explain it, to excuse it, so that you won't find it "cavalier".


Veuillez agréer cher Monsieur l'expression de mon attachement respectueux et reconnaissant.
Veuillez agréer cher Monsieur l'expression de mon attachement respectueux et reconnaissant.

Revision as of 05:05, 3 April 2021


Other languages:

Marcel Proust to Samuel Pozzi Sunday[4 October 1914]

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

102 boulevard Haussmann, Sunday[1]

Dear Sir

I would like to ask you for advice and perhaps a service (the advice will already be a very precious service), concerning the fact that I, as a discharged officer, may be called upon to appear before the medical board[2]. But I have recently had such terrible asthma attacks that I do not know yet what day I will be able to see you[3]. This letter has only one purpose: to ask you not to think me ill-mannered if, on the day I feel fit to get up, I take the liberty of telephoning you to asking if you could possibly see me. It is infinitely probable - with so much work, carried out with the ease of Hercules (who also had, according to a beautiful myth, Eternal Youth[4]), but which finally takes up all your time[5] - that you will not be able to receive me on that day. But then another day I will take the liberty of telephoning again. And as the already very old class to which I belong will only be called last, it will be no inconvenience, even if you cannot receive me several times in a row. Besides, I have just been so violently ill that a period of calm will perhaps follow and it will be possible for me to get up quite often, especially for such a short time as going to your house. Don't bother to answer me, my letter has only one purpose, to announce my phone call, to explain it, to excuse it, so that you won't find it "cavalier".

Veuillez agréer cher Monsieur l'expression de mon attachement respectueux et reconnaissant.

Marcel Proust

[6] [7]

Notes

  1. Note 1
  2. Note 2
  3. Note 3
  4. Note 4
  5. Note 5
  6. Translation notes:
  7. Contributors: