Notre Coeur; or, A Woman's Pastime

"Notre Coeur; or, A Woman's Pastime" by Guy de Maupassant is a psychological novel about a frigid heartless woman. In this French story, the hero is devastated by the violent, melancholic, cruel, and passionate love. He takes another mistress, but she can hardly satisfy him. Excerpt: "One day Massival, the celebrated composer of «Rebecca,» who for fifteen years, now, had been known as «the young and illustrious master,» said to his friend André Mariolle: «Why is it that you have never secured a presentation to Mme. Michèle de Burne? Take my word for it, she is one of the most interesting women in new Paris.» «Because I do not feel myself at all adapted to her surroundings.» «You are wrong, my dear fellow. It is a house where there is a great deal of novelty and originality; it is wide-awake and very artistic. There is excellent music, and the conversation is as good as in the best salons of the last century. You would be highly appreciated—in the first place because you play so well on the violin, then because you have been very favorably spoken of in the house, and finally because you have the reputation of being select in your choice of friends.»