Although it doesn’t concern THE Russian captain that Orwell befriended in Paris in 1929, this letter and expenses bill caught my attention whilst rummaging through the military archives at Vincennes.
At the end of WWI, a few thousand Russian officers were stationed in the northwestern French town of Laval while the powers that be decided on their fate. They hadn’t been involved in combat operations since the spring of 1917 when ideological differences between the brigades had resulted in the Russian forces being removed from the Western Front. Captain Troitsky, like many of his fellow officers, wiled away his days in local establishments, spending his pay (& 50% French campaign bonus) on the finer things in life.
It’s March 1918…
On Friday the captain checked into the Hotel Moderne on the avenue de la gare and asked for a soda siphon to be sent to his room.
On Saturday he ordered a café au lait, 2 cognacs, 3 more coffees, 7 Benedictines, 4 more coffees, 2 coffees with Benedictine and yet another coffee followed by a Byrrh aperitif. But he was still thirsty.
On Sunday he ordered a café au lait, 3 Byrrh aperitifs, 5 Calvados, 2 Triple secs, another coffee, a bottle of wine, 2 full dinner menus, 3 more coffees, 2 more Triple secs, 1 Benedictine and 4 large Calvados. But he was still thirsty (& hungry).
On Monday he ordered a café au lait, a large Calvados, lunch, half a bottle of Benedictine, 9 more coffees and 3 Triple secs followed by dinner. But he was still thirsty.
On Tuesday he ordered a café au lait, 2 aperitifs, 2 more coffees, 3 Benedictines and another coffee followed by lunch.
On Wednesday the captain wasn’t thirsty anymore and left the hotel, absentmindedly neglecting to settle his bill.
On Thursday Monsieur Terrier, the hotel owner, invoiced the military for the full amount.
The next day was Friday again. Captain Troitsky had roughly two-thirds of his monthly salary (122 francs and 55 centimes) docked from his pay.
The real people & places from Down and Out in Paris and London are revealed in the forthcoming book, Orwell in Paris – Down & Out with the Russian Captain.
To be published first in French: Orwell à Paris – Dans la dèche avec le capitaine russe. By EXILS éditions, Paris on the 24/04/2024
REFERENCES
Documents from the military archives, Vincennes, France.
Photo of Hotel Moderne from Geneanet. Creative Commons licence.
Most amusing!