Translations:CP 05633/29/en
- ↑ From December 1916 to February 1917, Gaston Gallimard was suffering from depression, withdrew from the NRF's business affairs, stayed in a sanatorium around the second fortnight in December, and during this period entrusted the day to day business to Madame Lemarié. Proust, no doubt made aware of his absence through Jacques Copeau, had briefly suggested a return to Grasset, and wanted to make use of this period of inactivity to get his manuscript back and make a few corrections to it. When Gallimard was informed about this he became alarmed and repeated his intention to publish La Recherche and asked for the return of the manuscript. Following Gallimard's response (which has not been found), Proust replied back to him proposing to sign a binding contract (CP 04455; Kolb, XIX, no. 418, dated 1917 by Kolb). Madame Lemarié then drafted a reply (CP 04452; Kolb, XIX, no. 415) in which she hoped that 1917 would bring peace, which allows us to date the present letter in the second half of December 1916. [CSz]