by Honoré de Balzac
Translated from the French by Clara Bell, Francis T. Furey, and George Burnham Ives

An enigmatic traveler agrees to the wishes of a dying companion: to bear the news of his impending demise to his mistress, a beautiful but delicate countess. But will the messenger reveal his grim tidings or try to claim her for himself? And what of her husband? . . .

Balzac’s most famous short story is a tale told by the celebrated Doctor Bianchon, who relates his discovery of a ruined manor house and the hidden horror it will forever contain . . .

An Englishwoman and her two children arrive in Tours to take up residence at a picturesque villa, but the apparent happiness of their new home conceals a mysterious illness that threatens to tear the family apart . . .

A viscountess left at the altar retreats in shame and sadness to self-imposed seclusion in Normandy, vowing to never love again―never, that is, until one day a handsome young convalescent appears in town . . .

Honorine is the last of the five stories presented in this volume.