“Glamor and poverty of courtesans” Balzac in brief
In 1824, at a ball in the Opera appears a dazzlingly handsome young man on arm with a charming lady. To everyone’s amazement, Lucien Chardin somehow managed to get out of the mud, and the king, by his decree, returned the name of his ancestors from his mother’s side. The young man easily puts in place the old enemies – Baron Sixta du Chatelet and Marquise d’Espard. However, he lacks the spirit to besiege former fellow journalists, and it is they who identify in his companion a public maiden nicknamed Torpil – this beautiful Jewess is famous for the most subtle debauchery. Lucien takes half-live Esther home, and a short, fat masked man, who has consistently accompanied lovers, orders Rastignac to intercede for the Count de Rubempre – having recognized the terrible look of this man, Eugene is terrified. The distraught Esther makes an attempt to poison herself with carbon monoxide, but she is rescued by an unfamiliar priest who explains to her that she
In May 1825, lovers acquire each other in an apartment, made for them by the Spanish canon. However, Lucien already knows who is hiding under the cassock of a pseudo-priest – but a young man, intoxicated by successes in the world and accustomed to luxury,
On one fine night of August 1829, dozed off in the carriage, Baron de Nucingen meets a wonderful vision in the Bois de Vincennes – a woman of unearthly beauty. The banker falls in love for the first time in his life: he tries to find his “angel” with the help of the police, but all in vain – the stranger disappeared without a trace. Exchange predator grows thin before our eyes, and concerned friends at home convoke a consultation: a man like the Baron de Nucingen, has no right to die suddenly – this is fraught with major trouble. Describing his beauty, the banker notices the smile of Lucien and decides to let on him the most skillful police agents – Contanon and Perad. For both detectives, the case seems to be profitable and safe – they do not suspect that behind the young de Rubambre is the famous Jacques Collin, treasurer of three penal servitude. Abbot Herrera wishes to sell Nusingen Esther, and the faint-hearted Lucien agrees – Clotilde de Grandlieu will be given for him only if he buys an estate worth a million. The banker is slipped into a beautiful Englishwoman to discourage the use of the police, and then Esther is published from afar. Asia, transformed into a vault, promises to reduce Nucingen with his “subject” – even if the rich man fork out. Meanwhile, Carlos writes out a bill of exchange of three hundred thousand francs in the name of Esther and announces to the lovers that they part forever, for the sake of Lucien, Esther must again turn into Torpil.
Carlos begins the game with Nucingen, having all the trumps in his hand: the banker pays Asia for procuring, and Europe – for bringing him into the house. Seeing Esther, Nussingen completely loses his head: when court executors break into the courtesan, he resignedly submits three hundred thousand on account of her “duty.” The gang receives half a million in just one week – meanwhile the banker has not even touched his “goddess” yet. He promises her gold mountains – and she mentally swears to die on the same day when you have to change Lucien. Behind the developments closely watched the wounded detectives: their pride hurt, and old Perad also deceived in his expectations – he got involved in a scam just for the daughter of Lydia, hoping to get her a dowry. The student and friend of Peyrade are connected to the investigation – the all-powerful and sinister Koranten, the genius of the police investigation. He manages to find a weak spot in the ingenious plan of Carlos – Lucien, buying an estate, tells everyone that the money was given to him by his son-in-law and sister. Peyrade, pretending to be a rich Englishman, takes one of Esther’s friends for maintenance: together with Contanson, who has assumed the appearance of a mulatto servant, they are very close to the gang.
Meanwhile, the Duke de Granlie, receiving an anonymous letter about Lucien’s sources of income, refuses the young man from home. The furious Carlos orders to kidnap Perad’s daughter – if ten days later Lucien does not marry Clotilde de Granlie, Lydia will be dishonored, and Pearad himself is killed. The old man rushes desperately to Koranten: they have contacted too dangerous people, and you need to temporarily retreat. However, it is already impossible to reverse the course: Koranten and Dervil’s solicitor went to Angouleme – there they quickly find out that the Seshars, although they live in prosperity, but do not have a millionth estate. Corentin returns to Paris when Peyrade dies of poison – before his death he was returned to a tortured and injured daughter. Corentin vows to avenge both the abbot and Lucien – both of them will end their days on the scaffold.
Meanwhile, Esther finally succumbs to Nusingen’s pleas, and the happy banker gives her a rent of thirty thousand – immediately selling the securities for seven hundred and fifty thousand, she leaves them to Lucien and takes poison. Seeing the dead lady in the morning, Europe and Pakkar hide with money. Nucingen, suspecting something amiss, calls the police. Incidentally, it turns out that Esther is monstrously rich – she is the only heiress to the recently deceased Hobsek pawnbroker. Carlos, who remained cool and at the time of the crash, wrote a fake testament – before his death, Esther allegedly refused her fortune to Lucien. Then the abbot tries to escape, but Contanson – Jacques Collin blocks him the way, dropping the detective from the roof, orders Asia to give him such a drug that he should be mistaken for a dying man. An insensitive Spaniard is taken to prison.
The arrest of Lucien de Roubambre causes a stir – this young man occupied a prominent position in society, and the reputation of several noble ladies depends on the outcome of the case. The investigator Camusot stands at the crossroads: on the one hand, the influential Marquise d’Espár is pressured by him, demanding to severely punish the foolish youth; on the other hand, the prosecutor de Granville, a close friend of the Count and Countess de Serizy, transparently hints that there is no particular zeal to exercise follows. The charge itself looks very shaky: in the boudoir, Esther find a farewell letter to Lucien, from which it appears that the girl really committed suicide, as for the disappeared money, then why should the heir steal from himself? In fact, it all depends on Carlos Herrera: if it’s a Spanish diplomat, then it’s a sad mistake if a runaway convict – Lucien is guilty, at least, in complicity with the criminal. The first to call Carlos: the false-spaniard leads his party flawlessly, and Lucien is actually saved. But Camusot, yielding to the temptation, decides to interrogate the young man, and he immediately gives out his benefactor – yes, he fell into the hands of a vile convict who entangled him with his nets. Camusot gives him to read the protocol of the previous interrogation and promises to arrange a confrontation – only then does Lucien realize that he has ruined everything with his cowardice. Returning to the cell, he makes a statement with a refusal of testimony and writes a will, and in a letter addressed to the abbot, he bids farewell to him, calling him “the majestic statue of Evil and Viciousness.” When the Countess de Serizi, distraught with grief and love, bursts into prison, it’s all over – Lucien hangs on his own tie, how his coat would hang. A false-spaniard leads his party flawlessly, and Lucien is actually saved. But Camusot, yielding to the temptation, decides to interrogate the young man, and he immediately gives out his benefactor – yes, he fell into the hands of a vile convict who entangled him with his nets. Camusot gives him to read the protocol of the previous interrogation and promises to arrange a confrontation – only then does Lucien realize that he has ruined everything with his cowardice. Returning to the cell, he makes a statement with a refusal of testimony and writes a will, and in a letter addressed to the abbot, he bids farewell to him, calling him “the majestic statue of Evil and Viciousness.” When the Countess de Serizi, distraught with grief and love, bursts into prison, it’s all over – Lucien hangs on his own tie, how his coat would hang. A false-spaniard leads his party flawlessly, and Lucien is actually saved. But Camusot, yielding to the temptation, decides to interrogate the young man, and he immediately gives out his benefactor – yes, he fell into the hands of a vile convict who entangled him with his nets. Camusot gives him to read the protocol of the previous interrogation and promises to arrange a confrontation – only then does Lucien realize that he has ruined everything with his cowardice. Returning to the cell, he makes a statement with a refusal of testimony and writes a will, and in a letter addressed to the abbot, he bids farewell to him, calling him “the majestic statue of Evil and Viciousness.” When the Countess de Serizi, distraught with grief and love, bursts into prison, it’s all over – Lucien hangs on his own tie, how his coat would hang. decides to interrogate a young man, and he immediately gives out his benefactor – yes, he fell into the hands of a vile convict who entangled him with his nets. Camusot gives him to read the protocol of the previous interrogation and promises to arrange a confrontation – only then does Lucien realize that he has ruined everything with his cowardice. Returning to the cell, he makes a statement with a refusal of testimony and writes a will, and in a letter addressed to the abbot, he bids farewell to him, calling him “the majestic statue of Evil and Viciousness.” When the Countess de Serizi, distraught with grief and love, bursts into prison, it’s all over – Lucien hangs on his own tie, how his coat would hang. decides to interrogate a young man, and he immediately gives out his benefactor – yes, he fell into the hands of a vile convict who entangled him with his nets. Camusot gives him to read the protocol of the previous interrogation and promises to arrange a confrontation – only then does Lucien realize that he has ruined everything with his cowardice. Returning to the cell, he makes a statement with a refusal of testimony and writes a will, and in a letter addressed to the abbot, he bids farewell to him, calling him “the majestic statue of Evil and Viciousness.” When the Countess de Serizi, distraught with grief and love, bursts into prison, it’s all over – Lucien hangs on his own tie, how his coat would hang. Camusot gives him to read the protocol of the previous interrogation and promises to arrange a confrontation – only then does Lucien realize that he has ruined everything with his cowardice. Returning to the cell, he makes a statement with a refusal of testimony and writes a will, and in a letter addressed to the abbot, he bids farewell to him, calling him “the majestic statue of Evil and Viciousness.” When the Countess de Serizi, distraught with grief and love, bursts into prison, it’s all over – Lucien hangs on his own tie, how his coat would hang. Camusot gives him to read the protocol of the previous interrogation and promises to arrange a confrontation – only then does Lucien realize that he has ruined everything with his cowardice. Returning to the cell, he makes a statement with a refusal of testimony and writes a will, and in a letter addressed to the abbot, he bids farewell to him, calling him “the majestic statue of Evil and Viciousness.” When the Countess de Serizi, distraught with grief and love, bursts into prison, it’s all over – Lucien hangs on his own tie, how his coat would hang.
Learning about the suicide of Lucien, Iron Carlos falls into complete prostration – he loved the weak-willed poet, as his own son. Meanwhile, for Camusot, who obviously deflected the stick, it is extremely important to prove that the abbot Herrera and Jacques Collin, nicknamed Deception-Death, are one person. Sensing the danger, the convict again becomes himself: quickly leads into obedience to former comrades and saves the person sentenced to death for the murder of Theodore Calvi – this young Corsican was his favorite before the appearance of Lucien. Having decided to surrender to the authorities, Deceit-Death wants to take the post of chief of the secret police, and circumstances favor him – he keeps the gentle messages of Lucien’s beloved, capable of causing a scandal. With the help of one of these letters, this “hard labor Machiavelli” heals the Countess de Serizi, who was on the verge of insanity, Lucien really loved only her. Carlos promises the prosecutor to disclose several crimes that are too tough for justice, and at the same time brings order in their own ranks: his aunt Zhakelina, shining in the role of Asia, finds the Europeans trembling with fear Pakkar – they have long repented of a momentary weakness and praying the leader for mercy. Carlos forgives them: he needs the right people to deal with Corentin – the true culprit of Lucien’s death. A hard struggle is ahead, but hatred helps to live. After serving in the secret police for fifteen years, Jacques Collin retired in 1845. finds shaking from fear of Europe with Pakkar – they have long repented of a moment’s weakness and pray the leader for mercy. Carlos forgives them: he needs the right people to deal with Corentin – the true culprit of Lucien’s death. A hard struggle is ahead, but hatred helps to live. After serving in the secret police for fifteen years, Jacques Collin retired in 1845. finds shaking from fear of Europe with Pakkar – they have long repented of a moment’s weakness and pray the leader for mercy. Carlos forgives them: he needs the right people to deal with Corentin – the true culprit of Lucien’s death. A hard struggle is ahead, but hatred helps to live. After serving in the secret police for fifteen years, Jacques Collin retired in 1845.
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