LAbbe Constantin | Page 4

before making
an entire meal of them. D.W.]

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
Leon Halevy, the celebrated author; his grandfather, Fromenthal, the
eminent composer. Ludovic was destined for the civil service, and,
after finishing his studies, entered successively the Department of State
(1852); the Algerian Department (1858), and later on became editorial
secretary of the Corps Legislatif (1860). When his patron, the Duc de
Morny, died in 1865, Halevy resigned, giving up a lucrative position
for the uncertain profession of a playwright: At this period he devoted
himself exclusively to the theatre.
He had already written plays as early as 1856, and had also tried his
hand at fiction, but did not meet with very great success. Toward 1860,
however, he became acquainted with Henri Meilhac, and with him
formed a kind of literary union, lasting for almost twenty years, when
Halevy rather abruptly abandoned the theatre and became a writer of
fiction.
We have seen such kinds of co-partnerships, for instance, in Beaumont
and Fletcher; more recently in the beautiful French tales of Erckmann-
Chatrian, and still later in the English novels of Besant and Rice.
Some say it was a fortunate event for Meilhac; others assert that Halevy
reaped a great profit by the union. Be this as it may, a great number of
plays-drama, comedy, farce, opera, operetta and ballet--were jointly
produced, as is shown by the title-pages of two score or more of their
pieces. When Ludovic Halevy was a candidate for L'Academie--he
entered that glorious body in 1884--the question was ventilated by
Pailleron: "What was the author's literary relation in his union with
Meilhac?" It was answered by M. Sarcey, who criticised the character
and quality of the work achieved. Public opinion has a long time since
brought in quite another verdict in the case.
Halevy's cooperation endowed the plays of Meilhac with a fuller ethical
richness--tempered them, so to speak, and made them real, for it can
not be 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 ironical
sketches. He has often been compared to Eugene Sue, but his touch is
lighter than Sue's, and his humor less unctuous. Most of his little
sketches, originally written for La Vie Parisienne, were collected in his

'Monsieur et Madame Cardinal' (1873); and 'Les Petites Cardinal',
(1880). They are not intended 'virginibus puerisque', and the author's
attitude is that of a half-pitying, half-contemptuous moralist, yet the
virility 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 by
the Academy, which has gone through no less than one hundred and
fifty editions up to 1904, and ranks as one of the greatest successes of
contemporaneous literature. It is, indeed, his 'chef-d'oeuvre', very
delicate, earnest, and at the same time ironical, a most entrancing
family story. It was then that the doors of the French Academy opened
wide before Halevy. 'L'Abbe Constantin' was adapted for the stage by
Cremieux and Decourcelle (Le Gymnase, 1882). Further notable novels
are: 'Criquette, Deux Mariages, Un Grand Mariage, Un Mariage
d'Amour', all in 1883; 'Princesse, Les Trois Coups de Foudre, Mon
Camarade Moussard', all in 1884; and the romances, 'Karikari (1892),
and Mariette (1893)'. Since that time, I think, Halevy has not published
anything of importance.
E. LEGOUVE de l'Academie Francaise.

THE ABBE CONSTANTIN
BOOK 1.

CHAPTER I
THE SALE OF LONGUEVAL
With a step still valiant and firm, an old priest walked along the dusty
road in the full rays of a brilliant sun. For more than thirty years the
Abbe Constantin had been Cure of the little village which slept there in
the plain, on the banks of a slender stream called La Lizotte. The Abbe
Constantin was walking by the wall which surrounded the park of the
castle of Longueval; at last he reached the entrance-gate, which rested
high and massive on two ancient pillars of stone, embrowned and
gnawed by time. The Cure stopped, and mournfully regarded two
immense blue posters fixed on the pillars.

The posters announced that on Wednesday, May 18, 1881, at one
o'clock P.M., would take place, before the Civil Tribunal of Souvigny,
the sale of the domain of Longueval, divided into four lots:
1. The castle of Longueval, its dependencies, fine pieces of water,
extensive offices, park of 150 hectares in extent, completely surrounded
by a wall, and traversed by the little river Lizotte. Valued at 600,000
francs.
2. The farm of