Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev (1818-1883)
A favour for Maupassant. 1882
Autograph letter signed ('Iv. Tourguéneff') to [Juliette Adam] ('Chère Madame'), 50 rue de Douai, Paris, 'Mardi matin', [1882].

In French. One page, 207 x 134mm, on paper with Turgenev's printed address and monogram.

A favour for Maupassant. Turgenev hesitates to bother Adam during a period of ill-health, but he writes not for himself but for Guy de Maupassant: 'The enclosed letter [no longer present] of Maupassant to the minister of war will explain to you what it's about. Maupassant is persuaded that a word from you to General Billot will make the matter easy. Unfortunately there is no time to waste. – It requires all the conviction that I have of your exquisite goodness to silence the reproaches I make to myself for thus troubling the quiet which is so necesary to you'. In a postcode he adds: 'If you could just put two words on one of your visiting cards: "receive on my behalf Mr I– T–" – I believe that it would suffice'.

Turgenev had been introduced to Maupassant in January 1877 by Gustave Flaubert, and took a close interest in the younger writer. General Jean-Baptiste Billot (1828-1907) served as minister of war for exactly a year from 30 January 1882. Juliette Adam (1836-1936) was a writer, salonist and editor of the Nouvelle Revue.

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