
PRÉFACE
LES FUMÉES
L'ARAIGNÉE DE CRISTAL
LE CHATEAU HERMÉTIQUE
PARADE IMPIE
LES VENDANGES DE SODOME
LE RODEUR
LA DENT
VOLUPTÉ
LE PIÈGE A REVENANT
The story opens with a haunting preface that treats absurdity as a lurking presence, likening it to a legion of demons that possess ordinary conventions. Through a blend of philosophical musings and vivid, unsettling images—mirrors that frighten, a missing tooth that feels like a cold heart—the narrator draws us into a world where signs and meanings clash. The tone is both literary and eerie, promising a meditation on isolation, perception, and the thin line between sense and nonsense.
At its center is Rachilde, a solitary woman whose acute sensitivity makes her feel the hidden currents that drive everyday life. As she navigates strange encounters—old women whispering about not belonging, a sudden loss that reverberates through her being—she senses an invisible force steering her toward an uneasy revelation. Listeners will be drawn into her introspective wanderings, where each observation feels like a step deeper into the absurd, inviting reflection on how much of reality is invented by the mind.
Language
fr
Duration
~2 hours (140K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Sophie Lambert, Madeleine Fournier and Marc D'Hooghe (Images generously made available by the Hathi Trust.)
Release date
Apr 30, 2015
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1860–1953
A bold voice of fin-de-siècle France, Rachilde brought dark sensuality, shifting identities, and psychological intensity to the novel and stage. Her provocative works helped make her one of the most memorable writers of the Decadent movement.
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