
This etext was produced by David Widger
BOOK 3. - CHAPTER XV - THE COUNTESS DE CAMORS
"MISS MARY,
"MY MOTHER:
"MARIE."
"ELISE DE TECLE."
"CAMORS."
The story opens with a newlywed couple returning to Paris after a brief honeymoon, settling into a hotel on the Rue de l’Impératrice. Through a series of intimate letters to her mother, the young Comtesse reveals her turbulent emotions—she feels both uplifted and uneasy, torn between the ideal of love and the reality of her marriage. Her prose is bright and lyrical, capturing the excitement of daily rides through the woods, the sting of a lover’s teasing remarks, and the yearning for a deeper, almost celestial happiness.
These letters draw listeners into the couple’s world of salons, museums, and evening promenades, while also exposing the Count’s cryptic behavior and the Countess’s attempts to understand his motives. The correspondence offers a window into the customs of 19th‑century aristocratic life, where duty, romance, and social expectation intertwine. Listeners will sense the bittersweet tension between youthful hope and the constraints of a carefully arranged union.
The narrative’s rhythm mimics the ebb and flow of the Countess’s feelings, making each exchange feel like a breath of fresh air or a sudden storm. As she navigates her new role, the letters become both a confession and a quest for identity, inviting the audience to share her exhilaration, doubts, and the subtle humor that colors her observations of Parisian society.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (161K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2003-04-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1821–1890
A bestselling French novelist and playwright of the 19th century, he wrote polished, emotionally sharp stories about love, society, and the inner lives of his characters. His work helped bridge the gap between Romantic feeling and Realist observation.
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