Sister Anne (Novels of Paul de Kock, Volume X)

A quiet Paris night provides the backdrop for a wandering gentleman whose thoughts drift between regret and bravado. He strolls the dimly lit boulevards, a modestly built man with expressive eyes and a face that can wear any mask, reflecting the theatricality of his everyday life. As the city settles into its brief repose, his inner monologue reveals a precarious financial situation and a lingering sense of self‑importance.

Caught in the grip of a charming but costly invitation from the alluring Delphine, he has already squandered the five hundred francs his aunt sent to keep him afloat. The story follows his witty self‑assessment, his habit of pretending wealth, and the tangled web of debts, friendships, and fleeting hopes that propel him forward. Listeners will find a lively portrait of a man juggling pride and poverty amid the lively yet hushed streets of 19th‑century Paris.