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Extract « La
Femme de Paul » |
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“Le restaurant Grillon, this boater’s phalanstery, was slowly emptying itself. In front of the main door, there was a tumult of voices and calls, and the strong tall lads wearing their white cotton shirts were gesticulating whilst carrying a rowing boat on their shoulders.The women, with their bright Spring dresses, were carefully boarding the skiffs, and taking a seat by the helm where they were rearranged their attires. In the meantime, the owner of the place, a red bearded man of notorious robustness, was holding the young ladies’ hand, while making sure that the small boats remained steady.”
Maupassant also wrote a poem on of the inside wall of the restaurant Fournaise, which was illustrated by a dog drawn by the Count Lepic.
« Sauve-toi de lui
s’il aboie ;
Ami prends garde au chien qui mord
Ami prends garde à l’eau qui noie
Sois prudent, reste sur le bord.
Prends garde au vin d’où sort l’ivresse
On souffre trop le lendemain
Prends surtout garde à la caresse
Des filles qu’on trouve en chemin.
Pourtant
ici tout ce que j’aime
Et que je fais avec ardeur,
Le croirais-tu ? C’est cela même
Dont je veux garder ta candeur.» |
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| Verses painted on a wall inside the restaurant. |
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Guy de Maupassant used to leave his boats with Monsieur Fournaise for their maintenance.
In 1887, he even rented an apartment from the Fournaises for six weeks so that he could write and take pleasure in boating far away from the pressures of Parisian life.
Finally, Guy de Maupassant left Chatou in 1889 for Poissy where he had his boats sent. “….because in Chatou, it was becoming unbearable, due to the crowd. There were far too many minor society people. It is unfortunate and I feel sorry for Alphonse and Madame Papillon since they were always so kind and took such great care of my boats.”
“ My great and only absorbing passion was the River Seine for nearly 10 years.”
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