An Historical Mystery (the Gondreville Mystery)
An Historical Mystery (the Gondreville Mystery)
Translated by Katharine Prescott Wormeley
An Historical Mystery, also known as The Gondreville Mystery, is a historical fiction novel by Honoré de Balzac, written during the early 19th century. Set between 1803 and 1806, it intertwines the rise of Napoleon with a detective narrative featuring the relentless police agent Corentin, who seeks vengeance against aristocratic foes. This work is notable for its early exploration of detective story elements within the context of political intrigue and societal upheaval in post-revolutionary France.
Editions
X-Ray
“People who love don't doubt in anything, or doubt in everything.””
— Honoré de Balzac
“Society acts like an ocean: after some great accident, it regains it's flat surface, it's usual flow, and erases it's trace of agitation of it's unsatisfied interests.””
— Honoré de Balzac
“Customs are reflection of the people and the law is reflection of country's reason.””
— Honoré de Balzac
“... a word from an old man in the ears of the young ones is the same as the words of youth in the ears of an elder: a rattle which sense dodges understanding!””
— Honoré de Balzac
“In love, a chance is faith's help to the women””
— Honoré de Balzac
“Who rises the glass, also rises the price!””
— Honoré de Balzac
“Where there are sheeps, there are wolves.””
— Honoré de Balzac
“As he left for the scaffold, ... He refused to get into the tumbril. "Innocent people should go on foot!" he said....When the moment came to lie down on the plank, he said to the headsman, as he asked him to turn down his collar which came up to his neck, "My coat belongs to you, try and not cut it.””
— Honoré de Balzac
