"Les fantômes, étude cruelle" by Ch. Flor O'Squarr is a novel written in the late 19th century. The narrative opens with a reflective monologue from a man who reveals his long-standing affair with the wife of his best friend, Félicien, diving into themes of betrayal, self-deception, and moral ambiguity. The main character grapples with his feelings towards Henriette and the complexity of their relationship, which has persisted for three years despite itsquestionable moral foundation. The opening of the novel sets a poignant and introspective tone, detailing the protagonist's confessions of infidelity and his conflicted emotions towards both his friend and his lover. He acknowledges the depth of his treachery while dismissing feelings of remorse, instead examining the motivations that led him into this precarious liaison. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that his relationship with Henriette is driven by a mix of convenience, vanity, and implicit mutual need, as well as the intriguing consequences of their actions, such as the unexpected emotional fallout from Félicien's untimely death. This complex interplay of relationships hints at a deeper narrative exploring societal moralities and personal choices, making it an engaging read for those interested in psychological drama and critique of social norms. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Reading ease score: 71.7 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
Credits
Produced by Carlo Traverso, Renald Levesque and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. This file was produced from images generously made available by the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica)