Yes, I’ll go to Israel in February.
In a few weeks?
Impossible, you see, since I’m writing a new novel and that will still take me some time, two or three months, perhaps.
So you’re coming to Israel—let’s see, I’m counting—two, three—April? or May?
In February, I tell you….In February or not at all, and I count on going, so it will be in February and only in February.
Why especially and only in February?
Because of the butterflies, my dear!
Butterflies?
Butterflies! And don’t look at me with eyes as round as saucers; no, I’m not crazy! For me, you see, every country I see in terms of butterflies and shades of butterflies. I am a collector, and I know that one species of butterflies, butterflies with pastel hues, very rare, can be found on Jerusalem’s hills in February. That’s why I want to go there only in February.
So you see a country in terms of butterflies. I didn’t know of the existence of this species in the hills of Jerusalem, in February; since I’ll be there then, and you’ve intrigued me, I’ll go to see if I can find any.
And don’t forget to tell me, unless you send me a few specimens with your newspaper.
On Sue Lyon
Why is Kubrick hiding his star? Simply because he’s afraid people will write so much nonsense about this! That’s it! In the book, the heroine is twelve; it was a little difficult to transpose a plausible story onto the screen with a little girl of twelve. So they chose a high-school girl of fifteen, who has just been filmed in the studio, like a worker putting in his day’s shift, and she’ll get back from there when she can to her place at school.
Do you know her? What do you think of her?
I don’t know her and don’t want to know her. I went to Hollywood especially to write the screenplay and the dialogue; but once the script was done, I hurried back to the Côte d’Azur, far from all that. But when I was in Hollywood, where the hopefuls were being cast, I saw the photos and remember saying to Kubrick, “Without a doubt, this is the one, in my opinion!” And that’s whom he chose, after a decisive audition. No, I won’t go to see the filming, I’ll keep well away. Here I have peace and can get my new novel ready.
The name of your new novel?
What, give a name to the infant you’re still carrying? Wait until it’s born!
Do you have links with Israel?
Many very old and dear friends. That’s why Israel is the only country where I’d like to give a lecture. I know Lolita is read there; it seems there are three or four translations, I think. I’ve been given Warhaftig’s translation as a present; do you know it? I ask because certain translators, in certain languages, have taken, how shall I put this, liberties with the girl. Lolita as a book should be at the same time more chaste and more amusing.
* “Si Nabokov vient en Israel ce sera à cause des papillons de Jerusalem” (“If Nabokov Comes to Israel It Will Be for Jerusalem’s Butterflies”), L’Information d’Israel, Feb. 3, 1961. Colombo interviewed him in his apartment on the Promenade des Anglais, Nice.