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PREFACE

IN submitting to the English-speaking public this second volume of M. Zola's trilogy "Lourdes, Rome, Paris," I have no prefatory remarks to offer on behalf of the author, whose views on Rome, its past, present, and future, will be found fully expounded in the following pages. That a book of this character will, like its forerunner "Lourdes," provoke considerable controversy is certain, but comment or rejoinder may well be postponed until that controversy has arisen. At present then I only desire to say, that in spite of the great labour which I have bestowed on this translation, I am sensible of its shortcomings, and in a work of such length, such intricacy, and such a wide range of subject, it will not be surprising if some slips are discovered. Any errors which may be pointed out to me, however, shall be rectified in subsequent editions. I have given, I think, the whole essence of M. Zola's text; but he himself has admitted to me that he has now and again allowed his pen to run away with him, and thus whilst sacrificing nothing of his sense I have at times abbreviated his phraseology

V

so as slightly to condense the book. I may add that
there are no chapter headings in the original, and that
the circumstances under which the translation was
made did not permit me to supply any whilst it was
passing through the press; however, as some indica-
tion of the contents of the book which treats of
many more things than are usually found in novels
may be a convenience to the reader, I have prepared a
table briefly epitomising the chief features of each
successive chapter.

MERTON, SURREY, ENGLAND,

April, 1896.

E. A.-V.

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