Camille de SAINTE-CROIX

Unpublished autograph poem signed by Camille de Sainte-Croix entitled "Surprise" and dedicated to his wife whom he nicknamed Lène, mentioned in one stanza. Fold mark inherent to mailing.
At the top of the poem, 17 lines in black ink on a leaf, Camille de Sainte-Croix added this remark: "Mon cher Alphonse, veux-tu vers pour insérer ? Croix" ["My dear Alphonse, do you want verses to insert? Croix"], with a view to having it published in a review:
"Sous le sourire grave et fin d'un crépuscule
Et du fond de l'allée au feuillage rouillé,
J'ai vu venir un bel Amour tout dépouillé,
Et je lui fis un geste obscène et ridicule,
Presque fou, chevauchant un cheval à bascule,
J'étais le mécréant ivre, absurde et souillé
[...]
Il allait droit au but... Il est venu quand même."
Pour vaincre mon dandysme imbécile et moqueur,
Il m'a dit simplement : "Je souffre ! Ouvre ton coeur !"
Et j'ai trouvé l'accent pour répondre : "Je t'aime" !" ["Under the grave and subtle smile of twilight
And from the depths of the path with russet foliage,
I saw a beautiful Love come, quite stripped bare,
And I made an obscene and ridiculous gesture to him,
Almost mad, riding a rocking horse,
I was the drunken miscreant, absurd and soiled
[...]
He went straight to his goal... He came nonetheless."
To overcome my foolish and mocking dandyism,
He simply said to me: "I suffer! Open your heart!"
And I found the accent to reply: "I love you!"]

First edition.
Half chocolate sheep binding, spine with five raised bands decorated with gilt fleurons and dots with small traces of rubbing at head and foot, marbled paper boards, contemporary binding.
Work illustrated with numerous illustrations after photography.
Worming on endpapers, copy free from foxing.