Léon DAUDET (1868-1942). Autograph manuscript signed, Le Mauvais Compagnon; 7pages in-4 on blue paper (cut out for printing and pasted back together). Manuscript of a short story, collected in 1948 in Quinze Contes (Guy Boussac, 1948). Dedicated to Mme Ménard-Dorian. The manuscript shows erasures and corrections. "Among the many unknown and famous characters who frequented our house at the time, one of the most assiduous was Monsieur de Libourne". Portrait of this elegant and mysterious character, who was to become Joseph's mathematics teacher: "This devil of a man, with his sweet voice and cat-like manner, and his curly hair, frightened me". Joseph comes to wish him dead: "more than ever, Monsieur de Libourne's death became the theme of my ardent prayers"... The moment comes when Joseph's father decides to send him to the lycée, despite the campaign led by the bizarre M. de Libourne...