ISBN: 9781483949512

Paperback, [PU: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform], Excerpt: ...to maintain empire over themselves. Thus Madame Rabourdin, Madame Jules, and Mademoiselle de Fontaine, who had ex… More...

Paperback, [PU: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform], Excerpt: ...to maintain empire over themselves. Thus Madame Rabourdin, Madame Jules, and Mademoiselle de Fontaine, who had expected much amusement from the ball of their perfumer, were detached from the background of the bourgeoisie about them by their soft and easy grace, by the exquisite taste of their dress and bearing, -just as three leading singers at an opera stand out in relief from the stolid array of their supernumeraries. They were watched with jealous, wondering eyes. Madame Roguin, Constance, and Cesarine formed, as it were, a link which united the three types of feminine aristocracy to the commercial figures about them. There came, as there does at all balls, a moment when the animation of the scene, the torrents of light, the gaiety, the music, the excitement of dancing brought on a species of intoxication which puts out of sight these gradations in the crescendo of the tutti. The ball was beginning to be noisy, and Mademoiselle de Fontaine made a movement to retire; but when she looked about for the arm of her venerable Vendeen, Birotteau, his wife, and daughter made haste to prevent such a desertion of the aristocracy. "There is a perfume of good taste about this appartement which really amazes me," remarked that impertinent young woman to the perfumer. "I congratulate you." Birotteau was so intoxicated by compliments that he did not comprehend her meaning; but his wife colored, and was at a loss how to reply. "This is a national fete which does you honor," said Camusot. "I have seldom seen such a ball," said Monsieur de la Billardiere, to whom an official falsehood was of no consequence. Birotteau took all these compliments seriously. "What an enchanting scene! What a fine orchestra! Will you often give us a ball?" said Madame Lebas. "What a charming appartement! Is this your own taste?" said Madame Desmarets. Birotteau ventured on a fib, and allowed her to suppose that he had designed it. Cesarine, who was asked, of course, for all the dances, ..., Classics<

ISBN: 9781483949512

Paperback, [PU: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform], Excerpt: ...to maintain empire over themselves. Thus Madame Rabourdin, Madame Jules, and Mademoiselle de Fontaine, who had ex… More...

Paperback, [PU: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform], Excerpt: ...to maintain empire over themselves. Thus Madame Rabourdin, Madame Jules, and Mademoiselle de Fontaine, who had expected much amusement from the ball of their perfumer, were detached from the background of the bourgeoisie about them by their soft and easy grace, by the exquisite taste of their dress and bearing, -just as three leading singers at an opera stand out in relief from the stolid array of their supernumeraries. They were watched with jealous, wondering eyes. Madame Roguin, Constance, and Cesarine formed, as it were, a link which united the three types of feminine aristocracy to the commercial figures about them. There came, as there does at all balls, a moment when the animation of the scene, the torrents of light, the gaiety, the music, the excitement of dancing brought on a species of intoxication which puts out of sight these gradations in the crescendo of the tutti. The ball was beginning to be noisy, and Mademoiselle de Fontaine made a movement to retire; but when she looked about for the arm of her venerable Vendeen, Birotteau, his wife, and daughter made haste to prevent such a desertion of the aristocracy. "There is a perfume of good taste about this appartement which really amazes me," remarked that impertinent young woman to the perfumer. "I congratulate you." Birotteau was so intoxicated by compliments that he did not comprehend her meaning; but his wife colored, and was at a loss how to reply. "This is a national fete which does you honor," said Camusot. "I have seldom seen such a ball," said Monsieur de la Billardiere, to whom an official falsehood was of no consequence. Birotteau took all these compliments seriously. "What an enchanting scene! What a fine orchestra! Will you often give us a ball?" said Madame Lebas. "What a charming appartement! Is this your own taste?" said Madame Desmarets. Birotteau ventured on a fib, and allowed her to suppose that he had designed it. Cesarine, who was asked, of course, for all the dances, ..., Classics<

ISBN: 9781483949512

César is a man of peasant origins from the Touraine region. At the start of the novel, in 1819, he owns a successful perfume shop, La Reine des Roses, he has been elected deputy mayo… More...

César is a man of peasant origins from the Touraine region. At the start of the novel, in 1819, he owns a successful perfume shop, La Reine des Roses, he has been elected deputy mayor of his arrondissement in Paris, and he has been awarded the Legion of Honour. During the revolution he took part in the Royalist 13 Vendémiaire uprising against the Republic, at one stage confronting Napoleon Bonaparte himself, and he mentions this often in conversation. He is married to Constance and has a daughter Cesarine. He plans to throw a ball at his home, and make renovations to his home for the ball. He becomes involved in property speculation with borrowed money, through his notary Roguin. He plans to expand his business with a new hair oil product, with his assistant Anselme Popinot (who is in love with Cesarine) as his business partner. All of these plans have caused him to run up large debts. What he does not realise is that Roguin has money problems of his own, and that César's former shop assistant Ferdinand du Tillet, now a banker, is manipulating Roguin in order to have revenge against César. His financial situation becomes a crisis when Roguin absconds and leaves César with debts that he is not able to pay. His attempts to get financial assistance from various bankers such as Nucingen, the Keller brothers and Gigonnet fail, since all are friends of du Tillet and acting on his instructions. This leads him to declare bankruptcy, sell La Reine des Roses to his assistant Celestin Crevel and retire from business. Eventually César pays off all of his debts when his business venture with Popinot succeeds. He then dies suddenly, but happy that his honour has been restored. Trade Books>Trade Paperback>Classics>Coll Classics>Coll Classics, CreateSpace Publishing Core >1<

ISBN: 9781483949512

Rise and Fall of Cesar Birotteau Rise-and-Fall-of-Cesar-Birotteau~~Honor-de-Balzac Literature>Literature>Literature Paperback, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform