The Works of Guy de Maupassant, Volume 3

A moonlit night drapes the sea in a quiet blue, while the distant lights of hotels and villas flicker against the fog. In this elegant yet restless court, Count d'Avorsy and the sharp‑tongued Madame de Laumières trade gossip over tea, their conversation turning to the Empress’s concealed grief and the scandalous whispers that swirl around her. The atmosphere is thick with aristocratic intrigue, and the arrival of Captain Sigmund Oroshaz—scarred by war and burdened with a soldier’s weary wisdom—adds a solemn weight to the discourse.

The captain recounts a night of opulence: a grand ball celebrating a family anniversary, where the pallor of Maria‑Gloriosa betrays a hidden sorrow. Her lover lies ill, and a hushed warning from a lady of honor sends her fleeing the ballroom in a dream‑like haste. As Oroshaz watches from his post, the tension between duty, desire, and the looming secrets of the palace begins to unfold, inviting listeners to glimpse the fragile hearts behind the glittering façade.