M. Flobaire, You must be a truly dirty oaf to have taken my name and written a letter with it to a lady who had some favors for me which you doubtless received in my place and inherited my hat in place of which I have received yours which you left there.  It is the lowness of that lady’s conduct and of yours that make me think that she lacks education entirely and all those sentiments which she ought to understand.  If you are content to have written Fanie and Salkenpeau I am content not to have read them.  You mustn’t get excited about that, I saw in the papers that there were outrages against the Religion in whose bosom I have entered again after the troubles I had with that lady when she made me come to my senses and repent of my sins with her and, in consequence if I meet you with her whom I care for no longer you shall have my sword at your throat.  That will be the Reparation of my sins and the punishment of your infamy at the same time.  That is what I tell you and I salute you.

Coulard

At Palaiseau with the Monks

They told me that I was well punished for associating with the girls from the theatre and with aristocrats.

V. TO GUSTAVE FLAUBERT 1866

Sir,

After the most scrupulous combined searches I found at last the body of my beloved brother.  You are in belles-lettres and you would have been struck by the splendor of that scene.  The corpse which was a Brother extended nonchalantly on the edge of a foul ditch.  I forgot my sorrow a moment to contemplate he was good this young man whom the matches killed, but the real guilty one was that woman whom passions have separated in this disordered current in which our unhappy country is at the moment when it is more to be pitied than blamed for there are still men who have a heart.  You who express yourself so well tell that siren that she has destroyed a great citizen.  I don’t need to tell you that we count on you to dig his noble tomb.  Tell Silvanit also that she can come notwithstanding for education obliges me to offer her a glass of wine.  I have the honor to salute you.

I also have the honor to salute Silvanit for whom I am a brother much to be pitied.

Goulard the elder

Have the goodness to transmit to Silvanit the last wishes of my poor
Theodore. [Footnote:  Letter written by Eugene Lambert.]

VI.  TO GUSTAVE FLAUBERT Palaiseau 14 May, 1866

This is not a letter from Goulard.  He is dead!  The false Goulard killed him by surpassing him in the real and the comic.  But this false Goulard also does not deny himself anything, the rascal!

Dear friend, I must tell you that I want to dedicate to you my novel which is just coming out.  But as every one has his own ideas on the subject—­as Goulard would say—­I would like to know if you permit me to put at the head of my title page simply:  to my friend Gustave Flaubert.  I have formed the habit of putting my novels under the patronage of a beloved name.  I dedicated the last to Fromentin.