Letters to a few about Marcel Jouhandeau

To Saint-John Perse, dated: December 9 (1946)

Should we forever hold it against Jouhandeau, among others, for having made — out of love — the trip to Weimar? The ban which weighs on him, and which seems absurd to me in itself (but what do you think?) at least allowed him to write, in silence, the most beautiful pages of his life.

To François Mauriac, dated: May 17 (1945)

My dear friend, if it seems to you that Marcel Jouhandeau is extremely likely to be too much punished; if you remember the disgust with which he always refused, being in embarrassment, to collaborate with the Gerbe and other newspapers; if you think that a passion (questionable) and the desire to serve our prisoners alone engaged him in a detestable journey; if you have not forgotten the profound purity, beneath all the errors, of his soul, let me ask you to write a word to M[aitr]e Victor Bataille (155, Bd Haussmann) whom he took as his lawyer. It would be quite urgent. I am affectionately yours.

Jean Paulhan to Marcel Jouhandeau, dated: Monday (March 1944)

Very dear Marcel, no one (not least me) doubts your courage. but at this moment, I beg you, do not speak of it. Open your eyes. You are not exposed. It's not you who's exposed. It's not you who just died in prison, it's Max Jacob. It wasn't you who was killed by drunken soldiers, it was Saint-Paul Roux. It was not you who was executed, after a regular trial, it was Jacques Decour, it was Politzer. It is not you who is forced to hide to escape execution, in prison, it is Aragon, it is Éluard, it is Mauriac. It's not you who was deported to Germany, it's Paul Petit, it's Benjamin Crémieux. It's not you who is in prison, in the cell, it's Desnos, it's Lacôte. In a time when we all have to show courage, you are the only one (almost) who is not threatened, who leads a prudent and peaceful life. And I know too well that you are incapable of doing anything out of prudence, and that you certainly have this peace without having wanted it. But finally you have it. It's not up to you to talk about your courage, or even your future courage (if it ever comes, which I don't believe). GOOD. As for the rest, I'm sure that our friendship, I'm sure at least that mine, is big enough to withstand anything.