Victor HUGO. L.A., H[auteville] H[ouse,] Sunday 17 [August 1862?], to HIS WIFE 2 pages in-18 (11.5 x 6.5 cm) filled with small, very tight handwriting. On their financial situation, which is improving thanks to Les Misérables. "Dear friend, you misunderstand the meaning of my words. I only wanted to give you an idea of how things have improved. Every year for the last ten years we have been spending double our income, and sometimes more. The sale of Les Misérables puts us at par; from now on income will equal expenditure, we'll be just as comfortable, and I'll have more rest. I won't have a deficit to make up every year. I can breathe a little easier. I'm no longer condemned to forced labour, which, it seems, had damaged my health"... The year's overspending was substantial, and he will show her the figures when she comes in. "Here's my conclusion, everything's fine. We'll certainly increase our wealth, it's just that dispersion ruins us. We have to be careful. [...] I don't want Charles to be hindered in Paris in any way": he is going to give him a pension of 125 francs a month. "L'affaire des Misérables is admirable for our children; it gives them a bright future. It is a new situation for Adèle to be assured of having fifteen thousand livres of income after our death (including her share of the income from my works)". Then he does his accounts with his wife... Enclosed is an envelope in the same format, written by Paul Meurice to the address of Mrs C. O'Donovan in Fécamp, posted from Guernsey in February 1869.