Vladimir Nabokov: Selected Letters 1940-1977
Page 16
204:3 run down in run in
204:12 (Je m'y connais, en montagnes) /omit/
208:3 We learned We came
208:9 moustach mustache
209:3 they it
209:3 children children's
210:10 and or
210:21 Ou bien Or else
211:18 than but
211:22 morning mourning
213:9 dust dust,
215:1 heft left
219:10 de plus atrocement cruel more atrociously cruel
222:18 cabanes cabanes
222:23 forstfloor forest floor
223:5 heavenly hued heavenly-hued
224:5–6 and I suspect and, I suspect,
227:17 dispair despair
232:1 that first wild that wild
232;2 to the Lolita to Lolita
233;4 since as I have once remarked, since, as i have once remarked
239;8 fieldglasses, binoculars,
240;7 both—I omitted to find out—would both, would
241;17 maedlein mädlein
242;5 get got
249;19 burglar burgle
249;19 srutinize scrutinize
249;21 eight dollar eight one-dollar
250;6 participation permission to participate
258;7 had been rather looking forward to had looked forward to meet,
260;19 burdened by burdened with
263;10 again again"
263;14 them them,
264;1 uou you
264;12 weather face
265;6 mind mind,
265;7 fold on fold fold on fold,
269;20 martirize martyrize
269;24 wronb wrong
272;11 girl girls
274;21 three girls and five two girls and four
281;19 sers serre
286;7 three quarter way three-quarter-way
286;16–17 I saw by her own lights a I saw a
286;21 that than
290;10 il parait, I hinted,
288;15 (a storm (A storm
288;16 admrable adorable
288;23 smashed slammed
288;24 window-pane. window.
July 6, 1955
Dear Mr. Girodias,
I am sending you:
1. The missing page 195.
2. A copy of a short list of corrections I sent Madame Ergaz for you a week or so ago (in case it has already reached you, please return the second copy to me).
3. A new set of corrections where I have taken into account what you say about the over-abundance of French phrases in the MS. Of your list of sixty I have cancelled or translated one third, but this is as far as I can go.
I am delighted that you are doing LOLITA. Please rush the proofs and I shall rush them back.
Humbert's French, the French he uses himself, should, of course be correct. This also applies to Gaston's French and that of the other French people in the book. I hope there are no slips there. Elsewhere there are bits of deliberately faulty French.
Sincerely yours,
Vladimir Nabokov
TO: MAURICE GIRODIAS
CC, 6 pp.
Goldwin Smith Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, N.Y.
July 9, 1955
Dear Mr. Girodias,
I have just discovered another page (p.429) which, I suppose, is missing from the copy you have. I am sending it enclosed, and am adding a few corrections pertaining, chiefly, to the last pages of the book.
Please let me know if you have received my previous letter with corrections and p. 195.
Sincerely yours,
Vladimir Nabokov
PS. If you mail the proofs before July 20th, address them to 700 Stewart Avenue, Ithaca, NY.; this might save time since the university mail is not distributed on weekends. I shall, however, abandon the Stewart Avenue apartment around July 25th.
INSTEAD OF: SHOULD BE:
page:line
144:20 backfisch backfisch
147:7 shadographs shadowgraphs
tour not underlined [note in Russian]
192:10 perhaps —perhaps
192:11 mannerisms mannerisms—
298:22 moustached mustached
301:18 into this his pregnant his pregnant
301:19 in with her into it with her
303:23 Charlotte's and Mine my and Charlotte's
304:2 though I though, I
304:7 I of course I, of course,
305:12 in winter in the winter
306:7 or both or both,
306:18 Somebody I imagined Somebody, I imagined,
307:10 sunglasses sunglasses,
307:21 trousers trousers,
308:7 moustach mustache
308:24 the worst "the worst
308:24 is would be
309:24 behind me behind me,
309:25 moustach mustache
312:24 me—I me, I
314:13 rogue's rogues'
315:6 And moreover And, moreover,
316:11 beau!" what a tongue-twister. beau", "Qu'il t'y"—what a tongue twister!
317:10 noncommittent noncommittal
317:14 crossed cross
321:18 The rest The rest,
322:2 mobile-white bloused mobile-white-bloused
322:21 been followed been, followed
323:17 moustach mustache
323:23 protruding, protruding
325:1 after after,
325:21 and impossible and was impossible
330:8 celluloid celluloid,
330:25 playing acting
331:12 part left part, left
331:15 have) have),
332:2 Gaston Gaston,
332:9 memories— memories,
332:10 mine— mine,
33:7 Lo had Lo, had
333:13 readymade tennis short, tennis shorts,
334:22 discovery discovery,
335:12 quartette quartet
335:13 prepositions propositions
335:14 Birdsley; Beardsley;
335:15 it could not they could not
338:18 towel around his neck towel that was around his neck,
338:22 moustach mustache
339:6 anjoyed enjoyed
339:8 swung at made for
339:10 air— air;
339:18 counteract and get over his counteract his
342:4 zigzaging zigzagging
343:15 acceeding exceeding
344:14 year old year-old
346:24 come for come, for
346:25 strain it was strain it had been
347:7 thirteen-dollar thirteen-dollar-a-day
347:8 part-time young young part-time
347:22 who was in the act who, in the act
349:6 works "works
349:8 At the moment I knew I knew
350:1 rolly-polly roly-poly
350:19 there was they had
351:14 and was and on the following day I was
351:15 solid next day for solid, for
352:6 festivity celebration
353:10 toticed noticed
355:3 stood out and stood out, and
356:2 where to where, to
357:9 stayed at stayed, at
357:11 ley, only one ley, one
362:11 as old friend an old friend
362:11 Charlotte's Charlotte's,
363:7 that after that, after
363:12 fiend fiend,
363:12 taken taken,
363:12 complicated complicated,
363:13 vague vague,
365:25 and merely and, merely
366: "Dolores Disparue" "Dolorès Disparue"
367:11 Valery Valéry
368:13 t'offrait t'offrais
369:8 and after and, after
370:33 psychally analyzing psychoanalyzing
372:11 ape's ape
372;14 sport that sport, that
373:3–4 suspenders and painted tie- suspenders-and-painted-tie-
373–5 home-town home town
373:22 her Valech
ka her, Valechka
381:10 correspondents, I correspondents—I
381:10 recollect recollect,
382:13 be re-ribbed revert to a rib
384:12 hot-dog-stand hot-dog stand
384:21 Ramsdale, he would hand them Ramsdale he would hand
turn over instead of hand
386:4 withhelding withholding
388:18 car had car, had
390:19 forty 40
390:20 at one minute and a hundred one minute and 100
392:9 hollow-cheeked hollow-cheeked,
392:10 watered-milk white watered-milk-white
396:12 sketch sketchy
399:3 nausea. C'était l'autre que j'égorgerai. He was nausea. He was
399:11 but their shape at the but the
399:17 Bon. Good.
400:22 did they you did you
402:5 dod did
404:19 baby, baby
404:21 and know as and know, as
406:13 matter (a reprieve, I matter" ("A reprieve", I
406:14 Anyway "Anyway
407:3 coming with me. coming with me?
407:24 remark—: remark:
408:2 rejoin: I rejoin: "I
408:7 that so as to that in order to
409:3 you will come to you will not come to
409:6 hope (to that effect)". hope" (to that effect).
410:7 judging by the according to
410:8 scale of my map. my map.
410:10 However the However, the
410:16 country if any was country, if any, was
414:6 been proven be proven
416:9 sunset sunset-
416:18 automaton's automaton
418:21 heavy unattractive, affectionate child heavy, unattractive, affectionate child,
419:11 played played,
419:18 Suddenly Suddenly,
419:19 casual arm casual arm,
420:2 ankle ankle,
420:2 forward— forward,
420:3 preparotary preparatory
420:6 Avis Avis,
420:6 pink dad pink dad,
420:10 Lolita Lolita,
421:13 her) her),
422:10 Bon zhur, Bonzhur,
423:3 years-old year-old
423:5 years-old year-old
423:8 policement policemen
425:9 when with when, with
425:15 nieces, onto nieces onto
425:16 call out to me call to me
426:23 years- year-
429:8 that in hope that, in hope
429:18 launched himself in the glory of launched on a glorious
429:19 a long-range long-range
430:14 blonds, blondes,
431:6 Road twelve Road, twelve
431:7 and as and, as
431:14 warned, foretold,
431:14 a moment and a moment and,
432:7 vagues vague
432:11 of mine, of mine
432:12 bobbie pin bobby pin
433:10 Manor, Manor
434:19 old one had old one, had
434:18 were and were, and
435:2 dishevelled, dishevelled
436:5 evidebt evident
436:22 bipedal trickster trickster
437:5 with those about those
437:13 Patagonia. Je paie a travers le nez. Patagonia.
437:14 or rather, I refuse I refuse
439:15 and with a and, with a
439:17 paralytical paralyzing
441:16 the same to keep the same time to keep
441:17 my eye on him. an eye on him.
442:3 readers, among readers
442:4 them a lovely lacy old lady with pale ovel eyes, will will
442:5 this point, the this point the
442:6 their, and her, childhood their childhood
442;7 fistycuffs, fisticuffs,
443:5 it's verse. it's in verse.
444:29 protegée protégée
445:6 offer you offer you,
446:12 painted yellow— painted yellow—"
448:20 elexir elixir
449:22 The glass had gone The crystal was gone
453:8 Clare Obscur Clare Obscure
453:10 it gave me, was it gave me was
455:3 (Hi, ('Bye,
455:19 and than, thinking and then, thinking
456:8 beyond the town beyond the town,
456:13 to the eye to the eye,
456:22 voices, majestic voices—majestic
456:22 magically near, magically near,
458:10 But even so, But, even so,
458:15 when the reader as the reader
TO: PHILIP RAHV
CC, 1 p.
700 Stewart Avenue
Ithaca, NY.
July 13, 1955
Dear Rahv,
LOLITA is to be published in English, under my name, by the Olympia Press in Paris,1 presumably before the end of August. I am in the midst of correcting the proofs. All this happened very suddenly. They are rushing the publication because they want to take advantage of the tourist trade.
You have been very kind to my little girl. You suggested at the time that you would publish fragments if I signed them. I would now, since it is coming out under my own name anyway. If you are still interested, I could send you a piece at once, provided you can make room for it on your nearest issue. Later, it would become more complicated since the consent of the publishers would have to be secured.2
I would appreciate having your reaction as soon as possible. In case you are interested, perhaps you could remember what part of the book you wanted.
Sincerely,
Vladimir Nabokov
PS. Incidentally, what about that little piece on translation that I gave you?3
TO: WALLACE BROCKWAY
CC, 1 p.
Goldwin Smith Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, N.Y.
July 15, 1955
Dear Mr. Brockway,
I have just written a letter to you and Mr. Simon jointly, regarding ANNA, for I was not sure that you were in town or on vacation. I would very much appreciate hearing from you (as member of the Simon & Schuster firm) at your earliest convenience on that subject.
Now let me talk to you in your capacity of editor with Bollingen. Mr. Epstein, of Doubleday, has just written me about his talk with you re my ONEGIN. I would be very happy if Bollingen could be interested in the publication of this thing. Mr. Epstein, I take it, has explained to you that this work will consist of 1. a rhythmic, but not rhymed, translation of the complete novel, including all existing fragments of the "Tenth" chapter, rejected by Pushkin, as well as Onegin's Journey and Onegin's Album, both of which exist in fragmentary form. 2. elaborate notes and comments resulting from an exhaustive research into the roots of Pushkin's prosody and imagery (French XVIII-century poets), fact and fiction in connection with his African descent etc. etc. I envisage this publication as a strictly scientific opus. I believe that a complete Russian text should be included, as well as a reproduction of at least the title page of the original edition (one of the very few copies known to exist is in the Houghton collection, Harvard) and of some of the poet's drawings. Please let me know what you think of it.
Sincerely yours,
Vladimir Nabokov
TO: MAURICE GIRODIAS
CC, 1 p.
Ithaca, N.Y.
July 18, 1955
Dear Mr. Girodias,
I am returning the corrected page proof 429. Many thanks for sending it to me.
By now you must have received the corrected twenty galleys covering the beginning of Part One, and all the galleys of Part Two. I quite understand that it would be too complicated for you to insert my corrections in Part Two after it had been set. You will see, however, that I have taken care of the matter in the proofs I have returned.
I am leaving to-day on a lecture engagement but shall be back on Friday, the 22nd, and shall immediately attend to whatever proofs arrive in my absence, so that you will certainly have them ba
ck early next week.
I am delighted that you have set such an early date for publication. I hope you have already started a publicity campaign. What are you doing about publicity in the U.S.? When sending out review copies, are you including the following publications: 1. The Partisan Review (Philip Rahv, an admirer of LOLITA, 513 Sixth Avenue, New York 11, NY); 2. The New Yorker (be sure to address that copy to Edmund Wilson, c/o the New Yorker); 3. The New York Times Book Review (Harvey Breit, that is the only fellow I know in that shop); 4. Saturday Review of Literature (?); 5. The New York Herald Tribune. That's all I can think of. I am sure you have some other periodicals in mind.
You and I know that LOLITA is a serious book with a serious purpose. I hope the public will accept it as such. A succès de scandale would distress me.
Sincerely yours,
Vladimir Nabokov
TO: JASON EPSTEIN
CC, 1 p.
Goldwin Smith Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY.
August 27, 1955
Dear Mr. Epstein,
First of all let me thank you somewhat belatedly for the Lermontov agreement and advance. Next, I wish to apologize for my long silence: after losing eight days at the hospital, I had to devote all my time to PNIN. That book I finished yesterday.
Eugene Onegin. I have had no answer from Brock way. I wonder if I should write someone else at Bollingen's or just give them up altogether and go to some university press. I have just learned that, thanks to a new fund, Cornell might want to do the initial, large-size, edition. Is there anything you might want to suggest in this connection? Would Doubleday, for instance, want to share the expense and responsibility with the Cornell Press (or some other university press)? Would you like to be put in touch with the Cornell Press? Or are you interested in a later, smaller, edition only? In any case, I accept the idea of a smaller edition to appear after the larger one has been out for a reasonable length of time, provided the details can be settled in a satisfactory way between you, the original publisher and me. Do you think it might do any good to try and ring up Brockway once more? Would you be kind enough to do so?
Anna Karenin. I have had another look at the various translations of this novel. Some sentences and passages have been turned and twisted so many times by the different translators that they will inevitably remain as they are either in one or another version. On practically every page, however, there are blunders, omissions or clumsy turns which have to be rehandled. Under these circumstances, I am inclined to think that an advance for a new translation could be set at $2000. This would not cover notes and comments for which I would want a separate agreement between you and me (the translation would be done by my son). Neither Simon nor Brockway have answered my last letter. I am now going to write them that I consider myself released from my understanding with them. In any case, I am free to undertake a new translation (my son even more so), since they never considered a new translation anyway.