Castang's City [antikvár]

Foreword 'CASTANG'S CITY' A reviewer once said that it just had to be Toulouse It isn't, and nor is it Strasbourg. Inevitably it has features of both: numerous French cities are ancient regional capitals; seats of powerful dukes, and even kings. With palaces, Gothic cathedrals. Renaissance and Classical buildings. The mayors of many such cities are or have been eminent figures in national politics. This alone would prevent me following the precedent of Stendhal's 'Nancy'. Castang's city is imaginary, and to make the point it is deemed to exist where no major city is to be found; at the geographic centre of France. These disclaimers are needed. I live in Strasbourg: a real Commissaire Richard was named as chief of the Regional Service of Police Judiciaire in that city. He has now been promoted to Versailles He laughed and forgave me. Neither in physique nor in mannerism does he remotely resemble my invention of Castang's urbane and wary superior. Nor has my 'Mayor' any base whatever in any gentleman prominent in the affairs of the Republic. The city has thus no name; its every feature, and everyone in it, has been brought there by the four winds.