Carnet d'une femme

A newly wed narrator steps back into the glittering world of balls and salons, only to discover that marriage has not quieted the restless curiosity that once animated her youthful heart. She recalls the nervous thrill of slipping into a ballroom as a “mademoiselle,” then confronts the same flutter of anticipation now filtered through the expectations of a wife. The evening at the de Sorget house becomes a test‑run for the secret conversations and glances reserved for married women, and she enters it armed with both longing and a carefully rehearsed composure.

While her husband flits from cigarette‑smoke‑filled rooms to polite handshakes, the protagonist finds herself surrounded by familiar dancers who press closer, offering compliments that have shed their former politeness. A mischievous encounter with a self‑proclaimed duke who claims to “play the drum” in a city where such a pastime is forbidden delivers a burst of laughter and exposes the absurdities of their aristocratic circle. The narrative balances sharp social observation with the narrator’s witty, self‑aware humor, inviting listeners to linger on the delicate dance between desire and decorum.