The Commission in Lunacy

In the crisp Parisian dawn of 1828, two familiar figures stride out of a grand townhouse on the Rue du Faubourg Saint‑Honoré. Dr. Horace Bianchon, the keen‑eyed physician, walks beside the dashing Baron de Rastignac, whose ambition burns as brightly as his reputation. Their casual stroll quickly turns into a lively debate about age, appearance, and the true value of a woman’s allure, framed by Bianchon’s clinical observations and Rastignac’s restless desire for advancement.

Their conversation centers on the enigmatic Marquise d’Espard, a society darling whose fortunes and character are as tightly wound as the silk she wears. As the baron plots to leverage her charm for his own rescue from debt, the doctor warns that appearances can mask deeper betrayals. This opening sets the stage for a sharp‑tongued exploration of Parisian high society, where love, greed, and insight clash beneath the glitter of the Restoration era.