An Old Maid

A slender, silver‑haired gentleman drifts through the salons of Alençon, a relic of an aristocracy that has already begun to crumble. The Chevalier de Valois, a self‑styled descendant of ancient royalty, spends his days polishing manners, playing cards, and delivering witty recollections of Louis XV’s court and the early tremors of revolution. His presence is both comic and melancholy, a portrait of a man whose polished exterior hides a restless nostalgia for a world that no longer exists.

His eccentricities are as striking as his elongated nose: he devours lavish meals with the appetite of an ogre, claims a mysterious “hot liver,” and habitually snuffs from a gold box bearing the portrait of the celebrated Hungarian Princess Goritza, a former love that still haunts him. Through his anecdotes and flamboyant gestures, the story offers a vivid glimpse into the fading elegance of a bygone era, hinting at the personal and societal tensions that will soon test his genteel façade.