1. The Zouave lieutenant Milliet had left Arles on 1 November 1888 for Guelma, a city in the north-east of Algeria.

2. Van Gogh had asked Milliet if he would take charge of Bernard, if the latter were to serve with the Zouaves in Africa during his spell of military service. In exchange for drawing lessons, Milliet would then ensure that Bernard could devote himself to painting. See letter 628.

3. 1 franc 2 sous (1 franc 10 centimes). Compare the editions in the series ‘Oeuvres complètes’ of Honoré de Balzac, which cost ‘1 franc 25 centimes per volume’ in 1884 at Calmann Lévy’s in Paris (this price appears on the cover of Le médecin de campagne).

4. For Maupassant’s Bel-ami, see letter 568, n. 11.

5. In August 1888 Milliet had brought Theo a batch of Vincent’s paintings (see letter 652).