Camus' teen goth Saint-Just...

[victoriavandal.livejournal.com]

Another query - does anyone know the source, if any, for Albert Camus' description of Saint-Just (presumably while a law student) living in a room with black walls with teardrop patterns and the shutters closed? This sounds too teen-angsty to be true, but would be wonderful if it was (reminds me of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, when in a fit of depression he paints his bedroom black but Noddy's bells keep showing through!). Camus mentions it in the Saint-Just chapter of 'The Rebel'.

Comments

[victoriavandal.livejournal.com]

Thank you! - I'll look your reference up (my French is a bit crap but improving - had to, because so little stuff is available in translation!). It does sound very Sorrows of Young Werther-ish, high-Romantic, so the period would fit with Nodier.
The early 19thc historians are all very OTT!

[sneerbite.livejournal.com]

Thank you. As I said, I am really not sure he is the source, it's just a dim memory somewhere in my decaying brain. Could have been someone else - but Nodier, the melodramatic, is likely enough after all. Chop chop. : )