
MY DEAR DE VILLIERS,
A LIVING LIE
CHAPTER I A PROVINCIAL CORNER OF PARIS
CHAPTER II SIMPLE SOULS
CHAPTER III A LOVER AND A SNOB
CHAPTER IV THE 'SIGISBÉE'
CHAPTER V THE DAWN OF LOVE
CHAPTER VI AN OBSERVER'S LOGIC
CHAPTER VII THE FACE OF A MADONNA
CHAPTER VIII THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PICTURE
Set in the bustling streets of late‑19th‑century Paris, the novel follows a charismatic socialite whose charm masks a carefully constructed falsehood. As he weaves his way through salons, cafés, and the shadowy corners of the city, he creates a world that dazzles those around him while concealing a secret that threatens to upend his comfortable existence.
When a chance encounter with an earnest young woman begins to unravel the delicate fabric of his deception, the story shifts from elegant observation to a tense psychological study. Their uneasy partnership forces both characters to confront the thin line between honesty and survival, and the narrative captures the subtle power struggles that lie beneath polite society. Listeners will be drawn into a vivid portrait of ambition, desire, and the fragile truth that holds a life together.
Language
en
Duration
~10 hours (587K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Dagny and Laura Natal Rodrigues at Free Literature (Images generously made available by Hathi Trust Digital Library.)
Release date
2021-07-21
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1852–1935
A sharp observer of society and inner life, this French writer helped shape the psychological novel at the end of the 19th century. He moved from poetry and criticism into fiction that explored belief, morality, and the pressures of modern life.
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