Autograph letter to his mother telling his life during his first days of exile in Belgium. Charles Hugo was released from jail in January and moved to Brussels, where his father and many French politicians had fled after the Coup of Louis Bonaparte (on 2 December 1851). He tells that he has seen Saint-Marc Girardin and Alexandre Dumas, who is building a house on Waterloo Bld; he mentions that Noël Parfait works for him as a secretary. He adds that most of the French are behind Hugo and reject the "mild" Republicans like Etienne Arago. He also mentions that many Belgians are in favour of a French annexation, except the Bourgeoisie, and there are rumours of a French invasion.
The letter is addressed to Mme Rivière, a pseudonym used to deceive the French police.
Written at Brussels.
Bought from Charavay in 1964 for 280 francs.