“The truth is that every true admirer of the novels cherishes the happy thought that he alone - reading between the lines - has become the secret friend of their author.”

Meaning

This reads as a sly reflection on reading as a private relationship. It suggests that each devoted reader feels a special intimacy with the writer, as if they alone have caught the hidden signals in the work. In practice, it lands when someone rereads a favorite book and feels personally addressed, while still knowing that other readers are making the same claim in their own way.

When It Was Said

Who It Was Said To

Historical Context

Source

Original Language & Translation

Originally said in English.

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