1985-04 (April)

April 26th, 1985

Slept Past 9; rolls and coffee for breakfast in room as always. Decided to walk to and through the Tuillerie gardens, then to place de L’opera and other right bank sites we seldom visit. Set out at 12:30; walked up Rue du Bac to Seine, crossed Port Royal, and strolled the length of the Tuilleries. Crossed Rue Rivoli, went up the Rue Cambeu to Blvd. de la Madeline and along the Rue des Capucines to the Cognac-Jay museum- which I’d have enjoyed a great deal more if I’d remembered to bring along my glasses; Fragouard and Boucher paintings were wonderful any way. Returned on Ave de L’opera; stopped by Bredano’s in search of Clarissa and a world’s classics Browning; no luck with either. Cab back to hotel, where I retrieved my glasses, and we set out again to a brasserie; Gwyn has a croque Madame, I a ham omelet. Cashed two $100 traveler’s checks.

Back at the hotel, rested, then dressed for dinner at Benoit with Hugs and his girl Gabriella, a model here, originally from Mexico. Splendid meal at one of my very favorite Bistros: snails and bouef mode for me, plus tarte tatin with crème fraise; fish fried in strips still attached to it’s head, thin-sliced duck; Hugs, Gabriella has dishes similar to Gwyn’s. One bottle, point Fume, two of red bruilly; armanac all around. Bill, 1590 FF. Home soon after midnight.

April 27th, 1985

Slept late, till 10:20, after last night’s oversized meal at Benoit- five such meals in as many evening; must slow down before serious indigestion overtakes me, if not something more from heavy cholesterol. Breakfast, then sat around room reading paper till well past 2.

Left hotel around 3; walked over to Basilica St-Clotilde, where Cecan Frauck was organist; then roamed the neighborhood. Got pastries at a small shop, only to find them stale- first time this has happened on either trip. Returning, stopped by Librarie Galliard and got Huger the one-volume Pleaids edition of Rablais; Maupassant’s “contes normands” still on order.

Back in room for rest till 7. Hugs came shortly after 8; mad, rained on search for unserved dinner; tried Chez Maitre-Paul and Polidon, both on Rue M. le Prince, with no success. Hugs led us to Chez Hanzi, Mont parmasse, for oysters and sauerkraut with ham. Back to Port-Royal by midnight; asleep by 1.

April 28th, 1985

Rose at 9; breakfast, 9:30; but didn’t have room till noon. Caught taxi just outside hotel, rode all the way east and north to the Trocadero with its long view across the Seine, through the feet of the Eiffel Tower and across the Champs des Mars to the Ecole Militaire. We walked it; had a light lunch- sandwich mixte for Gwyn, Croque Monsieur for me- then caught another cab to the Place Vendome. Strolled through the Ritz, then back along Rue Saint Houore, window-shopping in financial safety because all the super expensive shops were closed for Sunday. Followed the Rue de Rivoli past the Louvre to La Port Neuf; went down stairs midstream and sat in the park (Vert Gallant) at the for of the Isle de la Cite, then back along the left bank Quai to the Rue du Bac, stopping at one of the Seine-side stalls to get Hugs a bargain Pleaide, 100 FF less than the catalogue price of 260 FF. Back to Port-Royal before 5 o’clock.

Hugs arrived at 8, took a deep hot bath, borrowed clean shirt and underwear; we went by cab to Chez Albert, a rather chic 4th Arrond. Bistro with excellent food: asparagus and creamed chicken for me, calf’s head and rack of lamb for Gwyn, fois gras and lamb for hugs; three wines, a white Burgandy, a red Arbois, and champagne. A sizeable meal, all first rate. Home by midnight. Hugs collected his three new books, Maupassant, Rablais, Celine; finished The Sweet Cheat by bedtime.

April 29th, 1985

Paris: eigth day. Rain. Stayed in room till 2, then went to bank and cashed another $200 in traveler checks. Librarie Gallimard; Maupassant’s Norman tales still un-arrived. Came back to room; rested before leaving again for appointment with my French agent, Mary King of La Nouvelle Agence, on the Rue Corneille near the Odeou Theater.

In our talk in her office she promised to press Michel Mohrt (Gallimard) to commit himself to brining out Tourfillon and L’enfant in their “Folio” edition, or else release (that is, sell) them to Christian Bourgoise for publication along with the other two (Saison Seche and September) in his “10/18” series. She impressed me again as a confident, canny, hard-working agent, and I left much reassured by the consultation.

On walk back, I bought a 399 FF bleached denim jacket that will come in handy back home. Made a dinner reservation for two at La Femme St-Simon on nearby street. 8:30; had a good meal- mostly nouvelle cuisine: assorted seafood appetizer for Gwyn, moulas en gelee for me; main course, lamb with attached kidneys (!) for Gwyn, steak with marrow for me; dessert, profiteroles with raspberry for Gwyn, dents a la neige for me.

Home by 11:20; earliest yet.

April 30th, 1985

Slept well, both of us; best since we arrived just over a week ago. Phone call from Mary King changed Wednesday’s appointment with Christian Bourgoise to 6 p.m. today.

Gwyn and I took a taxi to La Place de L’Odeau, then walked through the Luxembourg gardens; heavy construction work in progress on an underground garage, but the hardens were lovely, all trees and shrubs in early leaf and beautifully tended. Omelet for lunch in a nearby café, with a glass of white wine. On walk back, Rue L’Odeau, Gwyn bought several bibelots in the same shop where I bought her Christmas bracelet sixteen months ago. Returned to hotel by 5.

Met Christian Bourgoise in lobby at 6 and went with him to the nearby third floor apartment. Had a drink of scotch with him and his wife, met his teenage son, and talked publishing business- including possibility of bringing the other two novels in his 10/18 series- then returned to the Port-Royal.

Dinner at Le Dauphin, across the Rue du Bac: snails and duck comfit for me, salmon nature? For Gwyn and veal chop with spinach; white wine starter, then a bottle of red Bruilly. Total, 522 FF. Afterwards, a scotch in the Port-Royal bar. And off to bed, after watching French news.