And....more books!

[montagnarde1793]

I've decided (because I'm decidedly lazy), that I'm just going to list the rest of the books I had intended to post about. That way, if people have questions or want more explanation, they can comment. So, with that end in mind, books will be listed as follows, with a couple of exceptions: with title, author, year of publication, and perhaps a note. Also, if any of them begins with a quote I'll post that too, because one can tell a lot about a book by the quote--if any--it starts with, if not by its cover. (Failing the quote, if they're dedicated to any historical figure or historian I'll note that too, for much the same reason.

Robespierre : Aperçus sur la Révolution française Hippolyte Buffenoir (1882) [Note: It's a little book, the first half of which consists of the various reflections of the author (whom you might recognize), and the second half of which is a collection of scenes--not a play, since they don't fit together--all, needless to say, revolving around Maxime.] Dedicated in a rather long poem to everyone who resembles Maxime.

Paris Révolutionnaire Georges Lenôtre (1894) [Note: The author is about as counterrevolutionary as they come, but if one ignores his judgments, there are details here that cannot be found elsewhere and so, if for that reason alone, it's quite useful. I've only read the part about Maxime and the Duplays though, so I can't speak for the rest of it.] Dedicated to Victorien Sardou, unsurprisingly.

Robespierre et les Femmes L. Noiset (1932) [Note: Not to be confused with Hector Fleischmann's earlier book of the same name.]

"Tous ses sentiments, toutes ses pensées étaient concentrés dans un seul sentiment, une seule pensée : le bonheur du peuple. Sa vie était un perpétuel combat." - Charlotte de Robespierre

La Vie quotidienne au temps de la Révolution Jean Robiquet (1938)

Dansons la Carmagnole : Scènes et tableaux de la Révolution Edmond Pilon (1939) Dedicated, for an idea of the content, to Lenôtre.

Autour de Robespierre Albert Mathiez [Note: My copy was published in 1957, but all the studies contained therein were obviously originally published earlier in the Annales révolutionnaires.]

Robespierre, l'Incorruptible Geneviève Hemmert (1981) [Note: A novel I have not yet had time to read, although it looks promising.]

"D'après ce principe talmudique, tout accusé qui fait contre lui l'unanimité de ses juges doit être immédiatement relâché. L'unanimité accusatrice est suspecte en tant que telle ! Elle suggère l'innocence de l'accusé." René Girard, Des choses cachées depuis la fondation du monde.

Robespierre : Une Passion Bertrand Solet (1988)

Robespierre : La Vérité de la Révolution Jean Huguet (1992) [Note: Otherwise known as the biography of Maxime with David's naked sketch for the Tennis Court Oath picture on the cover--I suppose it makes sense, though, if he's the "Truth of the Revolution." (Even if it is supposed to be female.)] Dedicated to "président François Mitterrand, avec une respectueuse insistance." This always amuses me, for some reason...

"Réveiller Robespierre, c'est réveiller tous les patriotes énergiques de la République et avec eux le peuple qui, autrefois, n'écoutait et ne suivait qu'eux. Rendons à sa mémoire un tribut légitime ... Le robespierrisme est dans toute la république, dans toute la classe judicieuse et clairvoyante, et naturellement dans le peuple.

"La raison en est simple : c'est que le robespierrisme c'est la démocratie, et ces deux mots sont parfaitement identiques. Donc, en relevant le robespierrisme, vous êtes sûr de relever la démocratie." - Gracchus Babeuf

Maximilien : Histoire de Robespierre Marianne Becker (1989) [Note: despite the title, this is the first installment--of which three currently exist--in a series of novels. This one deals with Maxime's life up until the Revolution. And as an aside, I just started reading it, and 4 year-old Maxime is the cutest thing ever. ♥ ]

And then, to wrap up, two copies of the Annales révolutionnaires (one from 1908, the other from 1981), and one newspaper article from the 1950s by a decendent of Simon Duplay.

Again, if anyone wants anything translated or elaborated on (for example, in the case of the contents of several of these books which are rather broad), feel free to ask. :D

Comments

[trf-chan.livejournal.com]

Gaah, I'm jealous. ;.; Most of them sound awesome.

More details about Book With Four-Year-Old Maxime, please? =D

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

I figured you might be, but I'm willing to share. :D It's my pathological enjoyment of translating things. >__>

Of course....but what details did you want, exactly?

[trf-chan.livejournal.com]

Yay~ :3

Hmmm...I don't know. What are the cutest things that little Maxime does? XD

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

^__^

I could type a short scene from it...?

[trf-chan.livejournal.com]

Yes! That would be awesome. =D

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Do you want me to translate it, or do you think you'll be able to understand it in the original?

[trf-chan.livejournal.com]

Better translate it, if it's not too much trouble. My "Smart French" program is only smart in the sense that it's good at getting people to give up $40 to learn what 'n'oubliez pas' means. ><

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Okay, here goes (it worked better in French, though):

“On a certain afternoon of waning autumn, seated next to a good fire in the new house, Jacqueline embroiders.
Maximilien is seated on his knees: his favorite position.
His eyes a bit wide to see her better, he raises his face, still the face of a baby, toward her.
He will be four soon.
He adores, in silence, this mother, sometimes joyful, but often worn out and exhausted.
Never exhausted enough, however, for this adulated son.
The pregnancies have much fatigued her: her fragile, ethereal nature which so moved and retained François the unstable does not support the life of wife, mother and, once again, of future mother well (physically).
She knows it. For she feels it. She will be a maman again!
It’s little Augustin who is on the way…
Suddenly, she sets down her embroidery, bends toward that grave little face, extended toward her, and draws him to her.
‘Do you want to embroider?’ she asks, without knowing too well why.
‘Oh yes, Maman.’
His clear eyes gleam: he is full of joy to share something more with his mother!
The little fingers apply themselves! And Jacqueline laughs.
And then, the habit becomes a rite. A need. A complicity.
Each afternoon, after the nap that Jacqueline must—and needs to—take, while François pleads (brilliantly, but faithfully), a little hand half opens the door to the little salon:
‘Maman, Maman?’
‘Yes, Maxime?’
‘May I come in?’
‘Of course, silly.’
Always so polite, so measured, but as soon as the “yes” is acquired he runs and throws himself literally against his mother’s dress.
‘Not so strong, my God! What a hurricane!’ …But she laughs. She is happy, in this fall of 1763.
And they set up.
‘Maman, when I’m big, can I marry you?’
‘No: little one, one does not marry one’s mother!’
‘Why—’
‘Why, why, because that’s how it is…’
‘Father married you, didn’t he?’
And there it is.
Maximilien’s logic, childish certainly, is all there in this response, neat, precise.
From his clear, not very strong voice, already emanates, however, a strange aura of will…
This will which will not leave him until 8 Thermidor… and, perhaps, during the four or five weeks preceding!”

...I can also translate the pigeon scene, if you like.

[trf-chan.livejournal.com]

AWWWWWW! :3 I'm just...*squees!* He IS adorable~

Could you?! That'd be great! :D

Thanks for translating, BTW.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

That's because child!Maxime = the cutest thing ever.

Of course. :D

It's no problem. ^__^

"One Sunday evening, he finishes by ceding to his little sisters' supplications and confides one of his pigeons to them.
He opens the cage, and, very slowly, gently, seizes a little mass of warm feathers with a heart beating rapidly from fear, and takes the frightened little animal in the crux of his two hands.
He caresses it, to reasure it, then at once gently and serioiusly, lectures Charlotte:
"Above all, take good care of him. He is fragile. Give him grains. And don't forget to make him drink!"
They take him, and he is worried.
Alas, several days later, the little girls (they are still only four and five years old) forget the bird, one evening, in the garden of the de Robespierre aunts.
Just, this night a violent storm breaks out: the poor animal dies!
It's a drama for Maximilien, when he learns this: since the death of his mother, he cries rarely and so he can't be seen; but this da, from sorrow and anger, he let's large tears abundantly and openly roll down his child's cheeks!
He stamps his foot, furious with his siters, incapable of having known how to conserve this precious good: a little bird!
Thinking to lessen his chagrin, they bring him the little bird, all stiff with death.
It is then that his great anger breaks out!
'But how could you have? How could you have forgetten him?' he repeats, crying and stamping his feet.
And he caresses and kisses the dead bird. It is a tragedy for him!
'I said this would happen, I said so,' he repeats, in tears!
In confiding it to them, he had made a sacrifice. It was a bit of his heart he gave."

[trf-chan.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, poor little Maxime. ;.; I want to hug him.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

That's really what he needs; he didn't really get any love since his mother died... He is sweet, isn't he, though? Poor thing.

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

Does that mean you have a colour version of 4 year-old Maxime portrait?

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Sadly, no. It just means the portrayal of 4 year-old Maxime in this book is very cute. Sorry to disappoint. >__>

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's just text. I thought you meant you had the random portrait that can be found on the web.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Yes....unfortunately not. >__

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

Aww... but there's still a nice description of kiddie!Maxime that means, eh?

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Yes. ^__^ Well, after all, if he's cute at 34, he can't fail to be cute at 4...

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

Just thinking of it is SO incredibly adorable.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

^____^ I know. There are also, now that I've read further, pretty adorable scenes of him being slightly older too...

[maelicia.livejournal.com]

AWWWWWWWWWW! ^____________^

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Like after his mother dies and he's really sad. It's so adorable and well, sad. And then with the birds...

[rainofthenight.livejournal.com]

Wow! That's one amazing collection! Where do you find them...

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :D I got most of them for my birthday, but I found practically all of them on alapage.com.

[bettylabamba.livejournal.com]

Would you mind giving a synopsis on the newspaper article?

By the way, you are awesome. Totally awesome.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Sure. Basically, it's an article by Maurice Duplay's great-grand-nephew, also named Maurice Duplay, written in the 1950s about the Duplays during the Revolution: that is, about Maxime with the Duplays, Eléonore and Elisabeth and Le Bas and Simon Duplay, etc. If you want more detail, feel free to ask.

Thank you, I try. XD

[bettylabamba.livejournal.com]

Is it too long to translate? If so, would you care to share what you think are the most interesting parts?

No, thank you. :)

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

It's not too long to translate, but it might take a while...

[bettylabamba.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Take your time. Let me know if there's anything I can do to return the favour.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

I might be able to think of something... you wouldn't happen to have any suggestions, would you?