signed
1925
by Beauvoir, Simone de
1925. Near fine. 4pp on one bi-folded leaf and another single leaf. A draft of an unpublished short story from Beauvoir’s time in post secondary school at the Sorbonne, or in the time immediately following while she was working as a teacher. Very early manuscripts from significant writers are, generally, quite scarce. There are several Beauvoir manuscripts that have sold, but none earlier than this one. It is written on paper and ink identical to that of Départ (lot 85, Sothebys 21/05/2008). So we presume Le Combat is from the same years. From the collection of editor, writer and Beauvoir biographer Fernande Gontier.
p. The story takes place over a day, beginning:
“André s’étire. Le soleil brûle en dépit de ce feuillage épais sous lequel il a installé son fauteuil de jardin. Son livre a glissé sur la pelouse verte. Le geste de le ramasser est inutile, ce n’est qu’un roman et dont les héros l’intéressent si peu !” [translated to: “André stretches. The sun burns in spite of the thick foliage under which he has set his garden chair. His book has slipped on the green grass. The gesture of picking it up is useless, it is only a novel with heroes that interest him so little!"].
and ending:
“Coucher de soleil – la tête au vent – frénésie de joie – songe qu’il souffrirait de les voir ainsi – elle a mal.” [translated to: “Sunset—head into the wind—frenzy of joy—thinking he would suffer to see them like this—she aches."]. (Inventory #: 1068)
p. The story takes place over a day, beginning:
“André s’étire. Le soleil brûle en dépit de ce feuillage épais sous lequel il a installé son fauteuil de jardin. Son livre a glissé sur la pelouse verte. Le geste de le ramasser est inutile, ce n’est qu’un roman et dont les héros l’intéressent si peu !” [translated to: “André stretches. The sun burns in spite of the thick foliage under which he has set his garden chair. His book has slipped on the green grass. The gesture of picking it up is useless, it is only a novel with heroes that interest him so little!"].
and ending:
“Coucher de soleil – la tête au vent – frénésie de joie – songe qu’il souffrirait de les voir ainsi – elle a mal.” [translated to: “Sunset—head into the wind—frenzy of joy—thinking he would suffer to see them like this—she aches."]. (Inventory #: 1068)
