Session: 123456789101112131415161718192021         Page 243244245246247248249250251252253254255256257258259260261262263264265266267268269270271272273274275276277278279280281282283284285286287 of 1029

that if we legalize the book, that's an advance against regular 15% royalties. If we don't legalize the book, you keep the $1500.”

He was delighted with that. He said, “I don't think you'll manage it. And you're not going to get the 1500 back.”

I agreed, “Of course not. That's to make the deal binding.”

Why did you decide to give him the $1500? Were you afraid that if you didn't make it attractive enough--

Well, you see, there was no way of copyrighting this book. The copyright laws are that if a book isn't published within 90 days in the U.S.A. it's out of copyright there. I didn't have to give him anything.

That's what I mean. So why did you?

Well, I wanted this to be the official Joyce Ulysses-- with his full authorization. Viking, which had done his other books, were afraid to do it. They didn't want to fight. They should have been ashamed of themselves, and they were later, but they never made the fight.

So I came home and told Mr. Ernst that I had this signature for whatever it was worth--Joyce's approval that this was to be the official edition.

Now problems had to be solved. (1) We had to get the judge that we thought would be most favorably disposed to our