TLS to Monsieur Maurice Coindreau from Vladimir Nabokov, January 14, 1964 ., January 14, 1964

Writing from Palace Hôtel, Montreux, in French, VN delivers a lengthy (and sarcastic) response to Coindreau's queries. Explains that if Coindreau (now translating Pale Fire) has methods of translating, so too has VN for working with translators. Objecting to the tone of C.'s letter as "unfriendly and quite uncalled for", VN asserts that the modifications he suggests are not meant to replace an incorrect phrase with one that is correct, but are intended to make phrases more exact or clear, and 'reminds' C. that the only method he has for expressing his thoughts is in language, and not by sign or"a little dance like that a bee performs to notify its fellows of the results of its honey-gathering." Responds to C.'s queries one by one, and argues in conclusion for his own right as author to suggest corrections. 5 pages, including 3 page typescript of corrections to Kinbote's "Commentary", translated by Coindreau.