Abstract
Yaeko Nogami refers to one scene from La Faustin by Edmond de Goncour and translates its part in an essay called 'Iroiro-na-koto' (1916). As she could not read French, it is almost certain that she read the little known novel in an English version. In the Meiji era many Japanese students and literary men read French novels in an English translation published in a series of the Lotus Library. The Lotus Library consisted of translations of the greatest French, German, Russian, Italian, and Turkish novels. The title La Faustin is found in the list of the Lotus Library. Therefore, it is probable that she read the novel in the Library.
Soseki Natsume praised the novel in the talk entitled 'The Attitude of the Writer' (1908) and there is a copy of La Faustin published in the Lotus Library in his library. I compared Yaeko's translation in her essay with the original and found that she makes a faithful translation of part of the novel. Her husband, Toyoichiro Nogami, was one of Soseki's best disciples and read books Soseki praised and recommended. According to Yaeko, Toyoichiro recommended one book after another to her. La Faustin was probably included in these books.
