The Lily in the valley

This novel by Honoré de Balzac was published for the first two parts, "Les deux Enfances" and "les Premières amours" from November to December 1835 in the Paris magazine. Then, due to a dispute with Buloz, the publication was interrupted. The book, in its full version, was published in 1836 by Werdet.

The Lily in the valley is the story of an impossible love between Felix of Vandenesse, the youngest of an aristocratic family, and Mrs. de Mortsauf, the virtuous wife of the Count of Mortsauf, a dark and violent man.

At the beginning of the novel, Félix de Vandenesse addresses his mistress, Nathalie de Manerville, with a story of his childhood and youth between an unloving mother, his favourite brother Charles, unloving sisters and a sad pension. In turn, on the eve of the Restoration (May 1814), he attended a ball at which he was bored, until his regrad crossed paths with that of a dazzling stranger. He puts a kiss on his shoulder, but the stranger walks away, offended.....