A letter written by 19th century French poet Charles Baudelaire announcing his suicide attempt fetched about 267,000 U.S. dollars at auction here Sunday, three times more than was anticipated.
Best known for his poem collection "The flowers of Evil," Baudelaire was 24 when he wrote the letter to inform his mistress Jeanne Duval about his suicide intention.
"When you receive this letter I will be dead... I am killing myself because I cannot carry on living, I can no longer endure the ordeal of falling asleep or waking up again," the letter read.
"I am killing myself because I believe myself to be immortal, and I hope for it," Baudelaire wrote.
The poet was in debt and had not yet established his fame when the letter was written in 1845.
Baudelaire stabbed himself in the chest on that day, but suffered no serious injuries. The poet went on to live for another 22 years, during which his most famous poems were published. He died at the age of 46 in 1867.
The French auction house Osenat said this item is "without doubt the most extraordinary letter from Baudelaire in private hands." Osenat had estimated that the letter would sell for between 68,000 and 91,000 U.S. dollars, but it was acquired by a private buyer for about three times the price.
