Baudelaire, the spleen of modernity: outrage to good morals

He hasn't painted his hair green, like the day he visited Maxime Du Camp, and neither does he look sassy or sly in front of the deputy attorney general. Baudelaire expresses his "

" to him to see his

accused of contempt of public morality. He pleads their cause so well that Ernest Pinard is convinced of his “

”. He is not going to judge the man, but his work. In his indictment, the deputy deplores "

". For him, Baudelaire's book is dangerous.Because the scent of

is poison.

It "

."

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Charles listens, aghast, Ernest Pinard asking for the condemnation of certain parts of his book.

He no longer even hopes that his lawyer can convince the judges of his good faith.

He had chosen Me Chaix d'Est-Ange as his defender, but the latter, too busy, entrusted the case to his son who is only twenty-five years old.

According to Barbey d'Aurevilly, he would have shown himself to be “

”.

After having deliberated, the magistrates rule out the offense of insulting religious morals, but retain that of insulting public morals and good morals. Baudelaire is sentenced to a fine of 300 francs. His two publishers, Auguste Poulet-Malassis and his brother-in-law De Broise, will each have to pay 100 francs. All three are deprived of their civil rights. As for the

, they must be cut off from six poems:

,

,

,

,

and

which are all blacklisted.

For months, Charles mulls over his trial. He feels vacant, exhausted. Make reappear

 ? With hideous boxes to hide the outlaws? The only solution would be to write six new poems. But how could he improvise them? He never works in a hurry. He needs time, and correspondence, an echo from a long way off, come to the surface of his memory. Little consolation, after having addressed a petition to the Empress, her fine will finally be reduced to 100 and then 50 francs.

The copies of

which were saved from seizures in Paris and Alençon are sold clandestinely. But Charles does not benefit from it. The editor of his translations of Edgar Poe, Michel Lévy, is interested in resuming

. Auguste Poulet-Malassis takes offense. He plans to publish them in their entirety in Belgium. Baudelaire is evasive. Coco Mal-Perché, as her friend likes to call him, is wary. Charles has already played tricks on him, he knows he is capable of tricks and even indelicacies. Especially when he is at bay or in deep spleen.

During the winter of 1858, disgusted with everything, Baudelaire let himself go, only revived at the idea of ​​going to live in Honfleur as his mother invited him to do since General Aupick died shortly before the publication of

. He thinks he could in Normandy forget his disillusions, his loneliness and this "

" which again paralyzes him. He imagines himself facing the sea, far, very far from the sterile races. He could even regain his health by walking briskly on the beach, go to Le Havre to do fencing, take showers, eat healthier.

But how do you get rid of your debts? Baudelaire sees only one solution: to obtain a whole year of income. He opens up to Antoine Jaquotot, a lawyer member of the family council, who has always shown indulgence towards him. But even before the ministerial officer pleaded his case, Charles, desperate, embarked on a usurious loan. He also seized the 700 francs that Poulet-Malassis sent him, begging him not to touch it.

While Baudelaire digs his overdrafts, Ms. Aupick, convinced by Antoine Jaquotot, asks Me Ancelle to grant her son the 2,400 francs he needs.

Caroline has the awkwardness of writing to him that this sum is a personal advance from the notary.

Baudelaire is offended, storms and refuses the money.

In reality, he is no longer at all certain of wanting to go and live in Honfleur in the house his father-in-law bought when he was appointed senator.

Cover of the Figaro Hors-Série Baudelaire, the spleen of modernity Étienne Carjat, 1861

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