
HENRI ARDEL
In the glittering world of Parisian salons, a widowed countess glides through marble gardens, her crimson hair and silk gowns turning heads as she navigates the delicate choreography of gossip and expectation. Accompanied by a close friend, she indulges in the ritual of strolling past statues, teasing the line between admiration and indifference while juggling the demands of her children and a punctual husband. The opening scene captures her poised confidence and the quiet yearning that simmers beneath her flawless exterior.
When a young writer, Robert Noris, appears absorbed in a marble relief, their banter crackles with playful sarcasm and an unmistakable spark. Their exchange hints at a shared love of art and a mutual desire to escape the constraints of their social roles, setting the stage for a subtle intrigue that could reshape both their lives. Listeners are invited to follow Isabelle’s journey as she balances duty, desire, and the ever‑present gaze of a society that prizes appearance above all.
Language
fr
Duration
~3 hours (223K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
Paris: Plon, 1893.
Credits
Laurent Vogel (This file was produced from images generously made available by the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica))
Release date
2024-02-09
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1863–1938
Best known for warm, morally grounded French novels written for a broad popular readership, this prolific author published under a masculine pen name and built a long career between the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
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