82 - BALMONT, Konstantin Dmitrievich, alias DON (1867–1942)

BALMONT, Konstantin Dmitrievich, alias DON (1867–1942) Set of 3 original letters, 4 handwritten letters, 7 postcards dated 1906, and about twenty typewritten poems in Russian, addressed to Jurgis Kasimirovich Baltruchaïtis (1903–1988), including: - June 26, 1906, in Paris. In it, he speaks of a terrible inner struggle he is enduring, “when living and not living become one and the same, and indeed it would be more tempting not to live” (He would make a second suicide attempt the following year). The same nightmares haunt his nights; his days are gloomy, spent with unbearable people. The closing lines echo a poem that Jurgis Kasimirovitch BALTRUCHAITIS had sent him (see lot 59, letter dated August 20, 1907) “I am constantly torn between two things: I am loved, I love, I am loved, and I know the pain of love.” “Dear Jurgis, you are eternally tormented, and you cannot be any other way. I love you twice and thrice as much for that. But do you love my anguish, my despair, my inner turmoil? It weighs on you, as it does on others, perhaps—but you came to me in my moments of hardship, and now your letters reach me at the very moment of a terrible inner struggle, when living and not living become one and the same, and I long more than anything not to live. (...) Voloshin left Paris (...) Minsky (...) and with them went the chance to speak with you. Then another night of recurring nightmares—and a loathsome day filled with tormenting people. We’re planning—with Ek. Al. and Ninika, both of whom remember you very well—to go to Brittany, to Morlaix, Finistère. You’ll understand if I say just two words to you for now: my dear brother, I am caught between two forces of attraction; I am loved, I love, I am loved, and I know the pain of love.” -June 27, 1906, in Paris. “We’re leaving for Brittany. (...) I wanted to go to Helgoland, thinking you’d be there all summer. And then I received your explanatory verses. (...) Give my regards to the sea. I love nothing but the sea. Yes, and the light of the Star, the evening light, and the wind in the vastness. I’ve just received your latest verses. I cherish them; I love them. I read them to Elena. ‘I like them,’ she replied, ‘what I like so much is how much willpower he has within him. He is free.’ She knows you through my poems, just as you know her—even if only a little.” “Jurgis, my dear, it pains me that I keep letting you down with my letters. Once again, I’m writing only a few lines. I had to spend the whole day packing books; we’re leaving for Brittany soon. For now, write here. I wanted to go to Helgoland, thinking you’d be spending the whole summer there. Then I received your explanatory lines. How I’d love to see you. Jurgis, I don’t just love you—I need a brother, and I don’t have one. Only you will understand these words and appreciate their meaning. See you tomorrow. My regards to the sea. I love only the sea. Oh, the light of the stars, the evening light, oh, the wind across the open expanse. I just received your latest lines. Kisses, I love you. I read your lines to Elena. “Now that’s what I like,” she exclaimed, “how much I love this, how much will there is in it. He is free.” She knows you through my lines—just as you know her, at least a little. See you tomorrow, my dear brother. The sea binds us, the stars bind us; you and I are invisibly united in a sacred brotherhood. Yours, K. Balmont” —July 1, 1906, in Paris He shares some of his latest poems and asks for his opinion. “Jurgis, I’m sending you a few poems—some of my latest ones. Write back and tell me what you think. I wrote yesterday (...) I’ll write some more tomorrow. The day after tomorrow we’re leaving for Brittany, and my address will be: Finistère§ Morlaix§ p.rest. Best regards. I look forward to hearing from you. Goodbye.” -9