Saluting by the three grottoes-Marseilles - is not bad!

5. "As a sign of a greeting slowly a flag lowered a little"

We will remember - once again - that Guy de Maupassant has died at the age of 42 years.

Isaak Babel in the story "Guy de Maupassant" has written:

"(...) He died forty-two years. (...) I have read up the book up to the end and stood out of bed. (...) My heart has clenched. The presentiment of the truth has concerned me".

"Tragic humorist, humorous tragedian,

Crafty humanist, humane lovelace..."

(Igor Severyanin "Guy de Maupassant". Sonnet).

Guy de Maupassant was right about Bombard. Bombard both in 1884, and in 1952 liked fishing, was distinguished by excellent health.

September 07, 2016

Phased translation from Russian into English. Supplementation of translated text, amendment: 25 November 2017 12:08, 25 November 2017 17:55, 26 November 2017 01:33, 26 November 2017 13:47, 27 November 2017 23:29, 28 November 2017 12:04.

Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'Салют Бомбару!!! Или редукция Мопассана. Эссе'.

This essay was included in publication (in Russian): "1519-2019. 500 years. From the past to the future. 16 essays about famous explorers, writers, scientists and inventors. Collection", 282 p.,. ISBN 978-5-4483-6197-5 (9785448361975).

LVII. The Tale about Daladier

Edouard Daladier has decided to fill period of time outside official contacts. He went to walk around the city.

Having seen the sign plaque of "Cafe-library", he has become interested and has come in.

- "Hello, mister Daladier!" - Maxim Gorky has approached him. - "Do you wish to get acquainted with literature, with the press?"

- "Mister Gorky, I has become interested in cafe-library." - Edouard Daladier has answered. - "It is interesting to look at readers. Who are they? What people they are?"

- "O'key..." - Gorky has said somehow thoughtfully.

In a few minutes Edouard Daladier sat behind one of the tables. Readers have settled down on chairs before him.

Maxim Gorky announced:

- "Respected readers! The famous politician Edouard Daladier arrived with visit in our library. He is interested in getting acquainted with readers of library. Even if this acquaintance would be brief, minimal. And we, readers, in return, are interested in getting acquainted with Edouard Daladier. Let's ask our guest to inform us briefly about his personal experience of reading literary works. He has not a lot of time for communication with us. But we will see the famous politician. And he will see us."

Objections haven't followed.

Gorky made step aside and has sat down, giving the guest an opportunity to express.

- "France - is the reading the books country, respected visitors of library." - Edouard Daladier has begun. - "But, certainly, in the conditions of World War I the military person had no special opportunities for reading literary works.

World War I was some kind of meat grinder. Many - very - a lot of deaths.

Probably, the Bible was the most readable book. You know, that I became a capitan during the war period . I was a commander of the roth.

Someone will tell, that before you - is the French captain. I won't begin to protest to such representation."

Daladier has kept silent for moment.

- "At one time the book with stories by Guy de Maupassant appeared near me. In the book there was a story "Boule de Suif" (other variants of the title: "Dumpling", "Butterball", "Ball of Fat", or "Ball of Lard"). "...The need in commercial transactions has again recovered in the hearts the local merchants...". French passengers in the diligence are traveling in the territory occupied by the German troops. The woman with the informal name "Boule de Suif" (Tallow Ball) offers fellow travelers some food. But it were a conditions of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871."

- "Reminds the story by Heinrich Schliemann about his visit of Paris in 1871." - one of readers has spoken. - "Schliemann wanted to see the library, the books, the Parisian real estate. Schliemann illegally used the postmaster's uniform and the personal documents of one of the postmaster. Schliemann could get to Paris through the line of occupational German troops. He was risking to be stopped as the spy at the same time. All were intact, in good condition. Schliemann wrote in one of letters, that when he has entered the Parisian house and he have seen library in proper condition, has kissed books as own children."

Edouard Daladier with curiosity has looked at the reader who has made addition about Heinrich Schliemann. Then he have continued:

- "After the war, I became a politician. I was busy with politics. With interest I have got acquainted with views of the prince Talleyrand concerning the concept of the European balance. I read different books. Perhaps, you agree that after the entry of the USA in World War I Germany didn't have chances of a victory."

Daladier sighed, and looking slightly to the side, he added:

- "There is a point of view, that the separate peace Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (signed on 3 March 1918) was not chance for Germany's victory, but a decisive argument for the USA, Great Britain and France to bring the matter to full defeat and capitulation of Germany."

Readers were silently looking at Daladier. Daladier has continued:

- "The politician reads different books. All of the books are difficult to list. It is unlikely in several minutes of a meeting I will be able to tell you about the experience of reading literary works. Let's, I will mention several phrases which were remembered to me. Here we will take for an example the book by Mikhail Mikhalkov "In labyrinths of deadly risk" (Михаил Михалков 'В лабиринтах смертельного риска'). The author of this book, the participant of World War II, tells about a conversation of the German officers. One of these officers used a word-combination "The Bohemian corporal". If I ask you - with a portion of joke -: who will win? the French captain or "the Bohemian corporal"? In an situation of struggle? I believe, you already know the answer.

And here some citations from the book by Sergey Mikhalkov: "Really, the destiny has thrown me here into this terrible institution specially to give the chance to overestimate values. Every morning cows were entered one by one into gate of a slaughter. (...) I was fixed for the machine - the meat grinder. ...I had to with incredible efforts, resting both hands against the handle, to rotate a wheel. (...) It was incredibly difficult to rotating this infernal machine."