Les Diaboliques

Description of the book

Les Diaboliques

By Jules-Amédée Barbey d'Aurevilly

Narrated by Cate Barratt and John Burlinson

This translation, by an unknown hand, of D'Aurevilly's salacious miscellany, which consists of six novellas, was published in 1900 under the title “Weird Women” and is in the public domain.

When the collection was first published in France in 1874, it caused up an uproar; it was declared a danger to public morality and the Prosecutor issued orders for its seizure on the grounds of blasphemy and obscenity.

Contents

1) The Crimson Curtain: An old vicomte tells a younger friend about his first sexual adventure and its disastrous consequences.

2) The Greatest Love of Don Juan: An aged playboy, surrounded by past lovers, relates the tale of his most remarkable love affair.

3) Happiness in Crime: A comte falls in love with his fencing mistress, resulting in adultery, fraud and much worse.

4) Beneath the Cards of a Game of Whist: The secret affair of a lady and an expert whist player leads to an horrific act.

5) At a Dinner of Atheists: A French officer defends his attendance at church to a group of free-thinkers by relating a tale of love and lust with the wife of one of his fellow officers.

6) A Woman's Revenge: A wealthy princess adopts an extreme strategy to punish her ignoble husband in the most damaging way.