
By Honore De Balzac
MAITRE CORNELIUS
CHAPTER I. A CHURCH SCENE OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY
CHAPTER II. THE TORCONNIER
CHAPTER III. THE ROBBERY OF THE JEWELS OF THE DUKE OF BAVARIA
CHAPTER IV. THE HIDDEN TREASURE
The narrative opens on All Saints’ Day in 1479, when the great cathedral of Tours is cloaked in candlelight and shadow. Balzac paints the dim interior with such detail that the flickering candles seem to give life to stone statues and marble arches, while the faithful sway between reverence and yearning. In this hushed setting the ordinary mingles with the transcendent, hinting at the passions and secrets that will soon stir beneath the holy vaults.
Soon a learned cleric, Maître Cornelius, is drawn into a world where devotion collides with desire, and the sacred space becomes a stage for intrigue. From a clandestine meeting in the choir to the daring theft of the Duke of Bavaria’s jewels, the story weaves together mystery, romance, and the relentless pull of hidden treasure. The first act sets a vivid tone, inviting listeners to follow the unfolding drama of faith, ambition, and the fragile human hearts that move through the shadows of medieval France.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (122K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by John Bickers, and Dagny, and David Widger
Release date
2005-02-22
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1799–1850
A giant of French fiction, this restless, ambitious storyteller built a whole literary world in La Comédie humaine, capturing the dreams, vanities, and struggles of 19th-century society. His novels still feel lively because they care so much about money, power, love, and the ways people reinvent themselves.
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by Honoré de Balzac

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