Robert Tournay: A Romance of the French Revolution

The story opens in the summer of 1789, on the sprawling grounds of the Château de Rochefort, where an arranged marriage between the young heiress Edmé and her cousin Marquis de Lacheville is being cemented. Amid the genteel tennis matches and fragrant roses, a quiet observer watches from the sidelines: the tall, dark‑eyed son of the intendant, whose position keeps him close to the household but far from its privileges. Through his eyes the reader senses the uneasy contrast between the lavish banquet tables and the starving crowds beyond the estate’s borders.

Drawn into the subtle intrigues of the aristocratic world, he finds himself torn between duty and a growing awareness of the people’s suffering. A chance encounter with a spirited young woman, who tosses a rose toward the marquis, sparks a quiet rebellion in his heart and hints at a bond that could bridge the widening divide. As rumors of unrest begin to swirl, the quiet servant steps onto a path that may lead far beyond the château’s polished corridors.