hi, french speaker here. not super versed on hugo but i have found the 1972 version and the page numbers cited and it does seem to check out. page 521 specifically says "We are accustomed, here in 'Choses vues', to the secret vocabulary and writing of Victor Hugo. Certain phrases are still enigmatic, other have "keys", often simple. Thus, when Victor Hugo, talking about a conquest, writes "Switzerland", which is the country of milk, he means breasts. Sometimes he wrote, to describe the same thing, the saints or the torso." (my translation) it continues on with explaining more coded phrases. the other cited page (371) is a section of hugos diary where he refers to "very loud/strong knocking at my bedside". make of that what you will
thank you so much for the translation!! I'm going to append it to the post. I appreciate you!







