In memoriam

It is with great sadness that we recently learned of the death, at Quillan on Wednesday 21 June 1989, of Monsieur Jean BOUSQUET.

For us he was a friend who, ever since we first met him 1983, we always found it a great pleasure to bump into.

His kindness and erudition were highly valued, something that no one deny.

He had a great love of his native region of France, and our long conversations were always a source of great enrichment.

A great admirer of the Abbé Boudet, he was often scandalized by the speculations of certain other authors.

We should recall that he was the village schoolmaster at Rennes-le-Château from October 1949 until July 1954.

We decided that the best way of paying homage to him would be to publish an extract from the very first letter that he ever wrote to us:

"As for Mademoiselle Marie, she has, on each and every occasion, evaded the questions that I was able to put to her regarding, in particular, the source of Saunière's fortune. And yet, for 5 years, we even took our meals together at the table of Monsieur and Madame Corbu (who had been kind enough to offer me lodgings).

Since I am mentioning Monsieur and Madame Corbu, let me say that I cannot ever praise their generosity and their kindness highly enough. They looked after Mademoiselle Marie with a great deal of affection, and for me they were the most charming of hosts. I shall always revere their memory."

FAREWELL

Monsieur BOUSQUET

G. T.

(Gilbert Tappa)

“Les Cahiers de Rennes-le-Château”, Tome IX, 1989

Reprinted in “Les Cahiers de Rennes-le-Château”, Collection 3, Tomes IX, X, 1997