Gabrielle de Bergerac [Paperback]

Henry James (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2003

My good old friend sat for some moments gazing into the fire. At last he looked up. I knew what was coming. "Apropos, that little debt of mine --" Not that the debt was really very little. But M. de Bergerac was a man of honor, and I knew I should receive my dues. He told me frankly that he saw no way, either in the present or the future, to reimburse me in cash. His only treasures were his paintings; would I choose one of them? Now I had not spent an hour in M. de Bergerac's little parlor twice a week for three winters, without learning that the Baron's paintings were, with a single exception, of very indifferent merit. On the other hand, I had taken a great fancy to the picture thus excepted. Yet, as I knew it was a family portrait, I hesitated to claim it. I refused to make a choice. M. de Bergerac, however, insisted, and I finally laid my finger on the charming image. The whole face has a look of mingled softness and decision, and seems to reveal a nature inclined to reverie, affection, and repose, but capable of action and even of heroism. Mlle. de Bergerac died under the axe of the Terrorists. Now that I had acquired this sole memento of her life, I felt a natural curiosity as to her character and history. Had M. de Bergerac known his aunt? Did he remember her? Would it be a tax on his good nature to suggest that he should favor me with a few reminiscences? The old man fixed his eyes on the fire, and laid his hand on mine, as if his memory were fain to draw from both sources a certain vital, quickening warmth. Then and there, settling back into his chair, with the fingers of the clock wandering on to the small hours of the night, he told it with a tender, lingering garrulity. Such as it is, I repeat it.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Wildside Press (September 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592243010
• ISBN-13: 978-1592243013
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tell-tale portraits, August 24, 2010

By 

H. Schneider "Hamlet" (Pandistan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gabrielle de Bergerac (Paperback)

In payment of a debt, our narrator selects a painting from the collection of an impoverished French nobleman. The painting is a portrait of an attractive young woman, an aunt of the debtor. He asks the nephew to tell us about her. We are then told a story, which the now old man witnessed as a little boy of 10. The story takes us back to pre-revolutionary times.
Gabrielle was the younger sister of the baron, the boy's father. She lived with her brother's family in limited circumstances. Her prospects to escape noble poverty were limited, until a noble and potentially prosperous suitor turns up. His prosperity depends on an as yet unconfirmed inheritance. For the time being he is as poor as she. She tells him frankly that she is not in love with him, but would wait for him to sort out his pecuniary prospects with his uncle. She tells him with surprising frankness that marriage without love and without wealth is not preferable to an old spinster's life in a convent.
Meanwhile, she gets exposed to another, but entirely unsuitable and equally unwealthy lover, the teacher of her nephew. That young man has embarrassed himself and her when he gets `caught' with having painted a romantic portrait of her. As we expect from experience, a quite improper love affair develops, witnessed by the boy.

The story was published in 1869, but never included in a story collection. That must mean that it was not highly appreciated. I wonder why, as I find it pleasant and likable. Possibly there were just too many stories about painters in love with unsuitable or unwilling ladies in the market, and too many treacherous portraits.
The story has one major logical or maybe rather practical flaw: the observations of the witness are entirely incredible for a ten year old boy. The old man says himself that he did not understand much of what happened while it happened. In view of that, the narrative concept is not convincing and I deduct a star, despite the story's charm.