Romans et contes

Octave de Saville drifts through his Parisian life like a ghost, haunted by a baffling malady that saps his strength without a single clear symptom. Though he appears outwardly composed, moments of sudden syncope leave him pale and seemingly lifeless before he recovers, as if pulled back from the brink by an unseen hand. His attempts at cures—from therapeutic waters to a sun‑soaked trip to Naples—only deepen the sense of futility, casting even the brightest skies in a shadowy hue.

The story unfolds within the dim, almost tomb‑like rooms of his Saint‑Lazare apartment, where faded curtains, wilting peonies, and dust‑kissed art whisper of a once‑vibrant existence now dulled by melancholy. Surrounded by silent furnishings, a quiet servant, and scattered, half‑finished letters, Octave finds a strange comfort in the stillness, while the world beyond his door feels increasingly alien. This atmospheric tale invites listeners to linger in the delicate balance between life’s ordinary rhythms and the mysterious forces that quietly erode them.