
By Honore De Balzac
MODESTE MIGNON
CHAPTER I. THE CHALET
CHAPTER II. A PORTRAIT FROM LIFE
CHAPTER III. PRELIMINARIES
CHAPTER IV. A SIMPLE STORY
CHAPTER V. THE PROBLEM STILL UNSOLVED
CHAPTER VI. A MAIDEN’S FIRST ROMANCE
CHAPTER VII. A POET OF THE ANGELIC SCHOOL
CHAPTER VIII. BLADE TO BLADE
Set against the autumnal backdrop of a modest French chalet, the story opens with a careful conspiracy hatched by a well‑meaning notary and his family. They enlist the young law student Exupere to spy on the shy, earnest Modeste Mignon, hoping to gauge her feelings during a brief, orchestrated encounter that will be whispered back to the schemers. As Modeste navigates polite introductions, the reader catches the tension between her genteel pretensions and the genuine sincerity that underlies her delicate demeanor.
Through witty dialogue and keen observation, the novel paints a vivid portrait of provincial society, where ambition, vanity, and affection intertwine in equal measure. The layered plan to uncover a possible lover becomes a window into Modeste’s inner world, hinting at the emotional complexities that will soon emerge. Listeners are invited to savor the charm of Balzac’s early romance, where every whispered word may shape the destiny of a heart still learning to trust.
Language
en
Duration
~9 hours (534K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by John Bickers, and Dagny, and David Widger
Release date
1998-10-01
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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