05: literal mess: gustave flaubert and louise colet letter august 18, 1846 typed out

Love a good messy literary situation.

Enter Gustave Flaubert and Louise Colet and their 8 year relationship -although she was married to Hippolyte Colet. It ended badly, but I am loving reading through these letters Flaubert wrote to her.

As a consciously single woman, I enjoy reading about these classic trysts. There is something so intimate about these letters from days gone by. Writing was THE mode of deep communication, and housed in these letters is every emotion- and I just love it.

There were better letters for me to choose from, but I hardly wanted to type pages and pages. 

flaubert and santa

TO LOUISE COLET

                                                                                                  Tuesday morning [August 18, 1846]

Here I am on my feet, thanks to my stubbornness. By following my own instinct, I read it myself in 2 days of what would have lasted a week. And that against everybody's opinion. Only scars are left.

I'll arrive at your house tomorrow between half-past four and five. I am counting on it. It is sure unless the devil himself takes a hand in it this time. He is taking a hand and so many of my affairs that he might well metal in this one. So: until tomorrow. Shall we go and take Phidias out for dinner? What's your feeling? Think it over carefully before hand. Ah-- in 30 hours I'll be setting out! Pass swiftly, Today! Pass swiftly, Long Night!

It is raining now: the sky is gray. But I have the sun in my soul. Adieu-  I'd love to fill these 4 little pages, but the postman will be arriving soon, so I'll quickly close this and seal it.

A thousand loves.

The real ones tomorrow. Tomorrow I'll be touching you. Sometimes I'd think it's a dream I have read about somewhere, and that you don't really exist.