Publisher's Synopsis
Two anecdotes are told of Dumas' books, one by M. Edmond About, the other by his ownson, which show, in brief space, why this novelist is so beloved, and why he deserves ouraffection and esteem. M. Villaud, a railway engineer who had lived much in Italy, Russia, and Spain, was the person whose enthusiasm finally secured a statue for Dumas. He felt somuch gratitude to the unknown friend of lonely nights in long exiles, that he could not behappy till his gratitude found a permanent expression. On returning to France he went toconsult M. Victor Borie, who told him this tale about George Sand. M. Borie chanced to visitthe famous novelist just before her death, and found Dumas' novel, "Les Quarante Cinq"(one of the cycle about the Valois kings) lying on her table. He expressed his wonder thatshe was reading it for the first time."For the first time!-why, this is the fifth or sixth time I have read 'Les Quarante Cinq, ' andthe others. When I am ill, anxious, melancholy, tired, discouraged, nothing helps me againstmoral or physical troubles like a book of Dumas." Again, M. About says that M. Sarcey wasin the same class at school with a little Spanish boy. The child was homesick; he could noteat, he could not sleep; he was almost in a decline.
