
Julien arrives in Paris for a quiet summer, settling into a cramped attic on Rue de Miromesnil. The promise of a peaceful retreat is quickly tangled with a late‑night poker game, a demanding early train, and the lingering memory of a lover he left behind on New Year’s Day. His new home feels foreign, illuminated only by a large candle, while his old habit of gambling threatens to pull him back into restless nights.
Into this uneasy balance steps Mme Duble, the seasoned governess who becomes both confidante and arbitrator in Julien’s tangled affairs. She mediates the volatile relationship with a spirited blonde who has already left a trail of broken romances, and her steady presence offers Julien a rare sense of calm. As the summer unfolds, Julien navigates the delicate dance between desire, duty, and the search for a stable foothold in a city that seems both inviting and unforgiving.
Language
fr
Duration
~4 hours (279K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
Paris: Ollendorff, 1909.
Credits
Véronique Le Bris, Laurent Vogel, Pierre Lacaze and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica))
Release date
2023-10-19
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1866–1947
Best known for sparkling boulevard comedies and dry, memorable wit, this French writer brought a light touch to plays, novels, and journalism. His work skewered everyday vanity and middle-class habits without ever losing its sense of fun.
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