GARY (Roman Kacew, known as Romain). Autograph letter signed to Christel Kriland. "Monday, May 9", [Paris, May 9, 1960, according to the postmark]. One p. in-8, Nrf letterhead, envelope retained. "My dear Christel, your letter came as a great surprise to me. First of all, I AM VERY SORRY TO SEE THAT YOU THINK ME A GENTLEMAN: I AM AN ARTIST. Secondly, my story is first and foremost a literary work and, as I explain in the back of the volume, NOTHING IS ALL TRUE, BUT NOTHING IS ALL FALSE. I have combined several characters into one, and the two ladies who have already written to say that they recognize themselves in Brigitte are both mistaken. My book is a work of art, not a document. You know very well, as I say on the back of the book, that IT IS AN ARTISTIC TRUTH ONLY. Best regards, Romain " ONE OF THE SOURCES OF INSPIRATION FOR BRIGITTE'S CHARACTER IN THE PROMISE OF THE DAWN, Christel Kriland, met Romain Gary in July 1937 in Nice, accompanied by two friends, Ebba Greta Kinberg and Juditt Balean. She was then separated from her husband (Lille Bror Söderlund), and lived with Romain Gary in Paris until April 1938. Having had to leave for professional reasons, she returned to Sweden to be with her husband. Romain Gary was deeply affected by this, but remained in touch with her by letter, and offered her the manuscript of his work Le Vin des morts.