COLETTE, Sidonie Gabrielle (1873-1954)

COLETTE, Sidonie Gabrielle (1873-1954)

Autograph manuscript (fragment) for La Chatte
N.p.n.d. [early 1933], 1 p. in-4° on blue Japan paper
Watermark “Japon / Barjon / Moirans / Isère”
Ink smudge and numerous words crossed off by Colette
Folds and typographical marks in pencil

Autograph fragment of the first draft for La Chatte, published in 1933

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« […] noires et de verrières d’un bleu d’insecte, rejoignirent la chambre à trois parois qui ne voilaient qui ne voulait pas de meubles.
– C’est beau, dit Alain à mi-voix. Mais il ne sut quel frisson enfantin d’isolement lui fit chercher, de la tempe, la jeune épaule d’où glissait le peignoir-éponge. “ Abandonnée sur un palier… sur une terrasse au neuvième étage… au sommet d’un phare… Tout un cet horizon chez soi… Ce n’est pas un logis humain…”
Le bras de Camille lui tenait d’un bras le cou, et elle regardait sans peur, tour à tour les vertigineuxses limites de Paris et la blonde tête désordonnée. Sa fierté nouvelle, qui semblait fairesait crédit à la prochaine nuit, aux jours suivants, se matin contentait sans doute des licences d’aujourd’hui : dominer fouler un lit commun, étayer, de l’épaule et de la hanche, un corps de jeune homme, s’habituer à sa couleur, à ses offenses, appuyer son regard avec assurance sur […] »

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This fragment allows us to observe the slow and laborious genesis of what remains one of Colette’s masterpieces. She who always expressed the “hard craft of writing,” in search of the “best word, and better than best,” sometimes blacks out several words in a row. Colette immerses us in the heart of her artistic creation.
Whether a short novel or a long story, La Chatte revisits in an original and unique way the love triangle that makes an animal, Saha, “the cat,” Camille’s rival for Alain’s heart. Situated in the middle of the third chapter, this fragment, tinged with sensuality and eroticism, corresponds to the first moments of the couple’s move into their apartment. From the outset, Alain’s confusion and soon his disgust for this home and the physical presence of his overflowingly sensual partner are expressed.

The only work by Colette published by Grasset, this fragment, due to its few variations with the final text, corresponds in all likelihood to the pre-original publication in the illustrated literary weekly Marianne, from April 12 to June 7, 1933.

Two manuscripts of La Chatte have survived. The first, incomplete and a first draft, is held at the BnF under file R.57846. It consists of 53 blue or green leaves on Barjon Japanese paper. This fragment appears to be related to this corpus. The second manuscript, complete with its 200 leaves and signed, is probably a fair copy. It was sold by Sotheby’s in London on May 26, 1991.