L'Abbe Constantin — Complete Read online

  Produced by David Widger

  THE ABBE CONSTANTIN

  By LUDOVIC HALEVY

  With a Preface by E. LEGOUVE, of the French Academy

  LUDOVIC HALEVY

  Ludovic Halevy was born in Paris, January 1, 1834. His father was LeonHalevy, the celebrated author; his grandfather, Fromenthal, the eminentcomposer. Ludovic was destined for the civil service, and, afterfinishing his studies, entered successively the Department of State(1852); the Algerian Department (1858), and later on became editorialsecretary of the Corps Legislatif (1860). When his patron, the Duc deMorny, died in 1865, Halevy resigned, giving up a lucrative positionfor the uncertain profession of a playwright: At this period he devotedhimself exclusively to the theatre.

  He had already written plays as early as 1856, and had also tried hishand at fiction, but did not meet with very great success. Toward 1860,however, he became acquainted with Henri Meilhac, and with him formeda kind of literary union, lasting for almost twenty years, when Halevyrather abruptly abandoned the theatre and became a writer of fiction.

  We have seen such kinds of co-partnerships, for instance, inBeaumont and Fletcher; more recently in the beautiful French tales ofErckmann-Chatrian, and still later in the English novels of Besant andRice.

  Some say it was a fortunate event for Meilhac; others assert that Halevyreaped a great profit by the union. Be this as it may, a great numberof plays-drama, comedy, farce, opera, operetta and ballet--were jointlyproduced, as is shown by the title-pages of two score or more of theirpieces. When Ludovic Halevy was a candidate for L'Academie--he enteredthat glorious body in 1884--the question was ventilated by Pailleron:"What was the author's literary relation in his union with Meilhac?" Itwas answered by M. Sarcey, who criticised the character and quality ofthe work achieved. Public opinion has a long time since brought in quiteanother verdict in the case.

  Halevy's cooperation endowed the plays of Meilhac with a fuller ethicalrichness--tempered them, so to speak, and made them real, for it can notbe denied that Meilhac was inclined to extravagance.

  Halevy's novels are remarkable for the elegance of literary style,tenderness of spirit and keenness of observation. He excels in ironicalsketches. He has often been compared to Eugene Sue, but his touch islighter than Sue's, and his humor less unctuous. Most of his littlesketches, originally written for La Vie Parisienne, were collected inhis 'Monsieur et Madame Cardinal' (1873); and 'Les Petites Cardinal',(1880). They are not intended 'virginibus puerisque', and the author'sattitude is that of a half-pitying, half-contemptuous moralist, yet thevirility of his criticism has brought him immortality.

  Personal recollections of the great war are to be found in 'L'Invasion'(1872); and 'Notes et Souvenirs', 1871-1872 (1889). Most extraordinary,however, was the success of 'L'Abbe Constantin' (1882), crowned bythe Academy, which has gone through no less than one hundred and fiftyeditions up to 1904, and ranks as one of the greatest successes ofcontemporaneous literature. It is, indeed, his 'chef-d'oeuvre', verydelicate, earnest, and at the same time ironical, a most entrancingfamily story. It was then that the doors of the French Academy openedwide before Halevy. 'L'Abbe Constantin' was adapted for the stage byCremieux and Decourcelle (Le Gymnase, 1882). Further notable novels are:'Criquette, Deux Mariages, Un Grand Mariage, Un Mariage d'Amour', all in1883; 'Princesse, Les Trois Coups de Foudre, Mon Camarade Moussard', allin 1884; and the romances, 'Karikari (1892), and Mariette (1893)'. Sincethat time, I think, Halevy has not published anything of importance.

  E. LEGOUVE de l'Academie Francaise.

  THE ABBE CONSTANTIN

  BOOK 1.