« My old friends from the “Soirées de Médan” all have great talent that I admire. »
Moving missive from Zola remembering his fellow naturalists from the Médan evenings.
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“We asked Mr. Émile Zola if he would like to respond to MM Huysmans, Léon Hennique, Henry Céard and Paul Alexis; and this is the letter we receive.
My dear colleague, Reply, great God! Rummage through the drawer of old love letters, stir up the sacred dust of the tombs! Ah, no! My heart would bleed too much! My old friends from the "Soirées de Médan" all have great talent that I admire. I loved them very much and I love them very much. Sincerely yours. Emile Zola."