L A N C E L O T

I have a question. Is it that your body is too massive for your teeny-tiny head, or is it that your head is too teeny-tiny for your big fat body?

You know this is no place for a child. Wherever I go, he goes.

I marvel every time you tell me how much you love me. I tremble as it all falls apart. But yet I find your accent persuasive. Yes, it is true we come back to each other, truer and deeper perhaps than we were. We were too young (me too, you see) but we are not too old to take advantage of everything we know: that is wonderful. I will send you the modifications of your role*. I sent them to Paris to have them typed. I did add an act that I threw in the air. I just focused on getting the judge’s scene into the rest of the play and I used your character. It gives you a little bit more text and gives you an appearance of plausibility. I’ve also made a few additions that don’t concern your role and that I’ll show you. But everything I’m doing right now disgusts me. Even and especially La Corde (provisional title again). Luckily you found a way to help me in this case. What you’re telling me encourages me to write to Hébertot and tell him I’m not sure I’m ready. This would give me more time and perhaps the strength to take it to the level where I would like to see it. Thank you, darling.

I’ve been saving for last what I can’t tell you right now. But the nights are hot here and sometimes I can stand at the window and breathe and soothe the blood that beats too fast. I wish that we get up at the same time and that through the thousand kilometers that separate us our two desires will bring us together. Nothing is more beautiful, more proud and more tender than the desire I have for you… But you see, I must stop. It’s late and I wish you good night. Not without thanking you from the bottom of my heart for the joy you bring me and the love you give me. Soon, soon, my savage, my beautiful… How I kiss you!”

— Albert Camus to Maria Casarès, Correspondance, August 21, 1948 [#32]

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Guy de Maupassant - Notre Cœur

Solar system - Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto

Art by Denis Bodrov