Description
Jealousy and accusations of infidelity threaten to tear a family apart in this beloved French novel, which focuses on the relationship between brothers Pierre and Jean. Pierre, a doctor, and Jean, a lawyer, belong to a middle-class French family and have led quiet, prosperous lives. But things change suddenly when a deceased family friend leaves a huge inheritance to Jean. The enormous sum of money left to his brother makes Pierre jealous, and also makes him suspect that Jean is in fact the illegitimate son of the dead friend. Tormented by suspicions of his mother Louise’s infidelity, Pierre turns on his mother, interrogating her with vaguely sinister questions about her past. Everyone in the family notices Pierre’s changed behavior towards his mother, and everyone is affected by Pierre’s anguish. Meanwhile, as Pierre continues to investigate his suspicions, his brother’s career and love life are flourishing, making Pierre even more miserable. When Jean finally confronts his brother, Pierre reveals the truth about his legitimacy—and this shocking secret results in the expulsion of one son from the family for the sake of peace and quiet.
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Opening Lines (Experimental)
--Zut! s'écria tout à coup le père Roland qui depuis un quart d'heure demeurait immobile, les yeux fixés sur l'eau, et soulevant par moments, d'un mouvement très léger, sa ligne descendue au fond de la mer.
Mme Roland, assoupie à l'arrière du bateau, à côté de Mme Rosémilly invitée à ...
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Pierre et Jean
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Pierre et Jean
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