Memoirs of a Madman

By Gustave Flaubert and Claud Field

'Memoirs of a Madman' (1838) was written by the great French author Gustave Flaubert, famous for his scandalous, best-selling novel 'Madame Bovary'. One of his earliest works, this captivating tale follows the recollections of a young man as he recounts his childhood innocence, followed by his painful, abrupt entry into the adult world. This powerful story highlights the author's views on the idealisation of women and lays the foundation for his renowned 'L'Education Sentimentale'.-

• Language: English
• Publisher: SAGA Egmont
• Release date: Oct 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9788726506860

Gustave Flaubert

Enter the Author Bio(s) here.

Book preview

Gustave Flaubert

Memoirs of a Madman

SAGA Egmont

Memoirs of a Madman

Translated by Claud Field

Original title: Mémoires d'un fou

Original language: French

The characters and use of language in the work do not express the views of the publisher. The work is published as a historical document that describes its contemporary human perception.

Cover image: Shutterstock

Copyright © 1838, 2022 SAGA Egmont

All rights reserved

ISBN: 9788726506860

1st ebook edition

Format: EPUB 3.0

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrievial system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor, be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

This work is republished as a historical document. It contains contemporary use of language.

www.sagaegmont.com

Saga is a subsidiary of Egmont. Egmont is Denmark’s largest media company and fully owned by the Egmont Foundation, which donates almost 13,4 million euros annually to children in difficult circumstances.

MEMOIRS OF A MADMAN

October 3rd.—A strange occurrence has taken place to-day. I got up fairly late, and when Mawra brought me my clean boots, I asked her how late it was. When I heard it had long struck ten, I dressed as quickly as possible.

To tell the truth, I would rather not have gone to the office at all to-day, for I know beforehand that our department-chief will look as sour as vinegar. For some time past he has been in the habit of saying to me, Look here, my friend; there is something wrong with your head. You often rush about as though you were possessed. Then you make such confused abstracts of the documents that the devil himself cannot make them out; you write the title without any capital letters, and add neither the date nor the docket-number. The long-legged scoundrel! He is certainly envious of me, because I sit in the director's work-room, and mend His Excellency's pens. In a word, I should not have gone to the office if I had not hoped to meet the accountant, and perhaps squeeze a little advance out of this skinflint.

A terrible man, this accountant! As for his advancing one's salary once in a way—you might sooner expect the skies to fall. You may beg and beseech him, and be on the very verge of ruin—this grey devil won't