Testimony
Article reserved for subscribers
The actress, who often read texts on stage by the American author who died on Tuesday April 30 and by his wife, recounts her last visit to the couple.
Paul Auster and Irène Jacob met at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997. The actress played the role of Claire in The Inner Life of Martin Frost, directed by the novelist and released in 2007. Irène Jacob became friends with Paul Auster and his wife Siri Hustvedt, two authors whose texts she often read on stage.
“I went to see Paul last week in New York. Paul and Siri had a generous way of summoning friendship into their lives. In moments of joy – often – as well as pain. Since the announcement of Paul’s cancer, Siri regularly sent us detailed emails keeping us informed of the treatments and his state of health, as well as of life. Until this recent day when she wrote to us: “When there is no longer optimism there remains hope. Paul is no longer going to be treated, it’s time to come see us.”
“When I went to join them at their house, Paul was in his armchair, among his books which covered all the walls of the room. On the table next to him was the book by Salman Rushdie, a friend of Paul and Siri. “So, he told me. You see this is my library. It’s still not bad to die in your library, I like this room.” He was present in his face
