Présentation de l'éditeur
On a cold December morning in the year 1612, a young man, whose clothing was somewhat of the thinnest, was walking to and fro before a gateway in the Rue des Grands-Augustins in Paris. He went up and down the street before this house with the irresolution of a gallant who dares not venture into the presence of the mistress whom he loves for the first time, easy of access though she may be; but after a sufficiently long interval of hesitation, he at last crossed the threshold and inquired of an old woman, who was sweeping out a large room on the ground floor, whether Master Porbus was within. Receiving a reply in the affirmative, the young man went slowly up the staircase, like a gentleman but newly come to court, and doubtful as to his reception by the king. He came to a stand once more on the landing at the head of the stairs, and again he hesitated before raising his hand to the grotesque knocker on the door of the studio, where doubtless the painter was at work--Master Porbus, sometime painter in ordinary to Henri IV till Mary de' Medici took Rubens into favor.
Book Description
Five of the author’s most highly regarded stories, newly translated, appear in this choice collection: the title story, an examination of the conflict between an artist’s commitment to his work and his obligations to others; "An Episode During the Terror," a contrast of material poverty and spiritual riches; "Facino Cane" a cautionary tale of how a passion for gold led to a fall from grace. Included also are "The Revolutionary Conscript" and "A Passion in the Desert." Excellent introduction to Balzac’s work.
