471 - BLOY (Léon). *Le Désespéré*. Paris, Tresse & Stock, 1887. In-12, brown half-shagreen, ribbed spine decorated with cold-stamped panels, gilt title and date, cover and spine (restored) preserved, in slipcase. Water stains on the binding.

BLOY (Léon). *Le Désespéré*. Paris, Tresse & Stock, 1887. In-12, brown half-shagreen, ribbed spine decorated with cold-stamped panels, gilt title and date, cover and spine (restored) preserved, in slipcase. Water stains on the binding. First printed edition, produced as early as 1886–1887 but not released for sale at the time, of Léon Bloy’s most famous novel—a largely autobiographical work recounting the passionate, mystical, and dramatic relationship between Caïn Marchenoir (i.e., Léon Bloy) and Véronique Cheminot (Anne-Marie Roulé, a prostitute whom he took in and converted to Catholicism in 1878). Stock, concerned about the legal repercussions that the violent attack on Francis Magnard, editor of *Le Figaro*, might entail, refused to publish the book. The edition was finally released in 1893, after pages 397–404 were replaced with an expurgated insert, which is present here and marked “**” (in place of “23”). In the meantime, Soirat had published the edition commonly regarded as the first published edition of the novel. Scattered foxing. Ex-libris bearing the initials “CB,” illustrated with a woodcock.