An Old Maid

The book is titled An Old Maid and names Honoré de Balzac as its author. The contents list, among others, gives the chapter titles "Susannah and the Elders", "Athanase" and "Mademoiselle Cormon". A passage says most persons have encountered, in certain provinces in France, a number of Chevaliers de Valois, one living in Normandy, another at Bourges, and a third, with whom "we have here to do", flourishing in Alencon.

A passage says that Monsieur de Valois gathered the fruit of his misfortunes, and that his place at table was laid in all the most distinguished houses in Alencon. A passage says Madame Granson and the Chevalier de Valois could not explain to themselves Mademoiselle Cormon's inconsistencies, but had detected her naive glances in that direction. A passage says Alencon, which up to 1816 could boast of only two private carriages, saw, without amazement, in the course of ten years, coupes, landaus, tilburies, and cabriolets rolling through her streets.