Reading.
Get started

Library / Literature & Fiction

Original Short Stories — Volume 07

by Guy de Maupassant

Pages
about 141
Category
Literature & Fiction
Language
English
Reading time
2.6 h at 250 wpm
Start readingThe whole book, as cards or one word at a time. 86 min at 450 wpm in Read mode.

From the opening

THE FALSE GEMS FASCINATION YVETTE SAMORIS A VENDETTA MY TWENTY-FIVE DAYS “THE TERROR” LEGEND OF MONT ST. MICHEL A NEW YEAR'S GIFT FRIEND PATIENCE ABANDONED THE MAISON TELLIER DENIS MY WIFE THE UNKNOWN THE APPARITION

Monsieur Lantin had met the young girl at a reception at the house of the second head of his department, and had fallen head over heels in love with her.

She was the daughter of a provincial tax collector, who had been dead several years. She and her mother came to live in Paris, where the latter, who made the acquaintance of some of the families in her neighborhood, hoped to find a husband for her daughter.

The young girl was a perfect type of the virtuous woman in whose hands every sensible young man dreams of one day intrusting his happiness. Her simple beauty had the charm of angelic modesty, and the imperceptible smile which constantly hovered about the lips seemed to be the reflection of a pure and lovely soul. Her praises resounded on every side. People never tired of repeating: “Happy the man who wins her love! He could not find a better wife.”

Monsieur Lantin, then chief clerk in the Department of the Interior, enjoyed a snug little salary of three thousand five hundred francs, and he proposed to this model young girl, and was accepted.

He was unspeakably happy with her. She governed his household with such clever economy that they seemed to live in luxury. She lavished the most delicate attentions on her husband, coaxed and fondled him; and so great was her charm that six years after their marriage, Monsieur Lantin discovered that he loved his wife even more than during the first days of their honeymoon.

He found fault with only two of her tastes: Her love for the theatre, and her taste for imitation jewelry.

A short sample. Read the whole book

More to read

Public-domain text from Project Gutenberg, Standard Ebooks or a similar open source. Copyright differs between countries. Rights holder? See our takedown process.