Madame Thérèse | Page 5

in the factory, but when he came of age, he
returned home, thoroughly dissatisfied with his occupation. His parents
were disappointed at his giving up such an opportunity to establish
himself in business, but he had made up his mind that his career ought
to be a literary one. By chance there was a vacancy at that very time in
the college at Phalsbourg. The President, who had always taken an
interest in him, gave him the appointment with permission to continue
his studies in the college. So he was installed in charge of the study hall
to supervise the work of the students and assist them in their lessons.
One of his pupils has left the following account of him:--"He was of
middle height and of strong but well-proportioned build. His rich
auburn hair was cut short enough to bring out the outlines of a
remarkably fine head. His full but closely trimmed beard framed a most
intellectual face. A high forehead, large piercing eyes of brilliant black,
a fine Greek nose, and a firmly set yet handsome mouth were the
striking features of a countenance in which thoughtfulness,
determination and nobility of purpose were reflected as from a mirror.
Altogether his appearance was such that even an inexperienced
observer would have pronounced him at once a more than ordinary man.
The feeling of respect with which his striking exterior inspired me, as
well as the other students, became warmer as I learned to know him
better in the course of my private lessons.... Among the students he had
the reputation of being reserved and taciturn. But I soon found out that,
though not mirthful, he was really very sympathetic and
communicative. In these moments he always spoke of a dear friend,
Émile Erckmann, a graduate of Phalsbourg, who was then following
the study of law at Paris as one who shared his ambition and who had
been and would be a partner in his efforts for literary distinction. He
told, with no little pride, that already the year before they had made
their debut with some tales, written conjointly, in a daily published at
Strasburg. One day he handed me a small volume containing the tales
in question, which had attracted so much attention that a Strasburg
publisher had reprinted them in a more enduring form. The tales
interested me the more, in that their subjects were either incidents in
rural life in Alsace and Lorraine or some of the popular saws, with
which the borders of the Rhine abound. I recollect very well the
fascination which the simple narrative, the charming description of

scenery, the lifelike painting of characters, the quaint humor and the
fanciful imagery of these first fruits of my friend's genius exercised
upon my mind. I have reread the tales since and can truly say that my
riper judgment does not differ much from that first impression."
Here at the college Chatrian met Erckmann, as already noted, and from
here he went to join him.
In Paris, Chatrian took a position with the Eastern Railway paying him
$300 a year. He held it long after the need of it had passed. During the
earlier years of his stay in the metropolis this income, slender though it
was, must have been a necessity to him.
In the late eighties Chatrian's health began to fail. In time he was
afflicted with a stubborn and insidious ailment, which causes its victim
to grow morose and suspicious. Unfortunately his suspicions directed
themselves toward his old friend Erckmann, whom he suspected of
cheating him in the management of their joint interests. Finally an
ill-advised friend published an attack on Erckmann, accusing him of
being unpatriotic. Erckmann sued the paper for libel and recovered
heavy damages. The ultimate responsibility for the attack rested at
Chatrian's door, and he did not long survive this melancholy incident.
He died Sept. 3, 1890.
Much has been written about the wonderfully uniform style of
Erckmann and Chatrian. It is true that one can hardly say of any
passage in their work, "Erckmann wrote this" or "Chatrian wrote that"
merely on the basis of internal evidence.
Many writers have succeeded in securing statements from one or the
other of the literary partners, telling how they collaborated. But if one
reads all these statements side by side, one is convinced that they had
no uniform method of work; that sometimes they worked together in
one way and sometimes in another. It would also appear that each was
slightly jealous of the other, fearing that he would receive more than
his proper share of credit for the work. These facts remain--that
Chatrian was better fitted to market their wares and see them through
the press than was Erckmann; and that Erckmann wrote and published

both before and after his