The news of the death of Emile Zola's widow recalls an interesting conversation reported by the author of "Things I Shouldn't Tell," purporting to giro Victor Hugo's opinion of the master "naturalist." Here it is: By the way} I said one night to Victor Hngo, at one of his evening receptions, really to tease him and sea what he would say: "Cher maitre, what place, in the literature of Franeo do you think posterity frill assign Emile Zola?" The little man glared at me in angry amazement. "Comment T I don't understand." I kep* my gravity and repeated my question. Hugo did -not reply to me, but turned and called to Louis Blanc: "Louis!" Blanc came very obediently. "Yes, cher maitre." "Our friend here," said the glteat Victor, pointing to me, "has asked me what position Zola may be said to have in literature; what do you say?" "I, cher maitre," replied Blane very hambljr (we were all of us and always as humble as. whipped . cars before the Great Man; at least, appa-ently so); "what do I think? Why, what importance is my opinion—what do yen think, cher maitre?" Hugo smiled, a sovereign smite in which amusement, pride, and contempt were admirably blended, and, turning to me, he said, raising his voice in the old mountebank, • come-in-and-see-the-bearded-lady way I knew so well, so that all might hear him: "Mon enfant, the writings of your friend Emilo Zola resemble literature in exactly the same degree as a garbage can resembles a rose!" ' ~«A
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Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18425, 4 July 1925, Page 11
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253Untitled Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18425, 4 July 1925, Page 11
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