Victor HUGO (1802-1885). 4 L.A.S., Hauteville House (Guernsey) and Brussels January-December 1868, to Jules Claretie; 6pages in-4 or in-8, addresses and envelopes; mounted on tabs on laid paper leaves in a small in-4 volume bound in supple black morocco, gilt title on upper cover. Beautiful correspondence. January 14. After Victor Hugo's plays were banned from the Comédie Française... "You take high note of the cowardice committed, of the fraud and theft, of this little Jesuit turpitude strangling Hierro between two doors. Who is master today in Molière's house? It's Tartufe. His name is Édouard Thierry, and he makes his passover between two portants, receiving the host from Dupanloup, and the watchword from Rouher [...] I'm a pest, I'm in quarantine. The police sift through my letters, the post office steals my stamp money"... January 26th. He promises Claretie a drawing, and invites him to come to Brussels in the spring: "I will make your drawing under your eyes, which you will pay me with a handshake [...] a curious thing that charmed me, Garibaldi answered me in verse, and in French verse"... Brussels August 31. [Death of Mme Hugo]: "Insomnia burned my eyes. Reading your beautiful page on my dear dead relieved me"... December 31st. He sends her the promised drawing by Auguste Vacquerie: "This is el puente de los contrabandistas. I saw it in the Pyrenees as a child. The Pont des Contrebandiers was terrible. Smugglers used it as a bridge, and the law as a gallows. They were hanged from the beams. That didn't stop them from continuing to cross. This bridge was also called: We walk on it. We dance under it. In Dernier jour d'un condamné, I quoted the sad song I'll make him dance the dance Where there is no floor. This gloomy dance, I send it to you. Please forgive me. It's hideous, but useful. We must show the executioners their work. So let's show the horror of the past. The present isn't much better. But what kind of tomorrow you young people are going to have! I'll be dead"...