Auf See

I feel the intoxication of solitude penetrating me, the sweet intoxication of peace that will not be disturbed by anything—no white letter, no blue telegram, not the ringing of my doorbell, nor the barking of my dog. I am alone, truly alone, truly free. And indeed, during a ten-day cruise on the small yacht Bel-Ami, Maupassant is disturbed by nothing except his two loyal sailors, who occasionally argue about the direction of the wind. On board, he embarks on passionate excursions into the realm of thoughts, reflecting on the superficiality of the moneyed world in Cannes and its pretentious relationship with art, on the self-reflection of the artist, on happiness and loneliness. However, in accordance with the whims of wind and waves, which sometimes propel the boat forward and sometimes force it to linger, Maupassant cannot avoid a few landings.