The Oxford Book of French Short Stories

375 Pages·2002·35.57 MB·English

by  Elizabeth Fallaize

THE OXFORD BOOK OF
FRENCH SHORT STORIES
Elizabeth Failaize is Reader in French at the University of Oxford,
and a Fellow of St. John's College, She previously taught at the
University of Birmingham. She is a specialist in twentieth century
French literature, and has a particular interest in contemporary
writing and women's fiction. Some of her recent publications
include Simone de Beavoir A Critical Reader (1998), French Fiction in
the Mittemnd Years (2000, with Colin Davis), and French Women's
Writing: Recent Fiction (1993).
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THE OXFORD BOOK OF
FRENCH
SHORT STORIES
Edited by
Elizabeth Fallaize
OXFORD
UNIVERSITY PRESS
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in order to ensure its continuing availability
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ISBN 978-0-19-288037-6
Acknowledgements
I am grateful for the help of many friends, colleagues, and members of
my family in discussing the gradual development of a project which has
been deeply satisfying to work on. At an initial stage, the advice of
Terence Cave was, as always, just what was needed, and he responded
generously to later calls for help. I shall miss him deeply as a colleague.
David Coward was my first choice for the nineteenth-century stories for
which we commissioned translations: we were delighted that he agreed
to take them on, and he produced a series of magnificent translations
with his customary brio, efficiency, and good cheer. Marie Elven pro-
vided support on my own translations, reading everything for me with
great care and attention to detail and making a series of excellent sugges-
tions for which I am very grateful. On the editorial side, George Miller
has worked with me from the beginning: his personal enthusiasm for the
project, his determination to make everything as easy for me as possible,
and his own knowledge of the field have all made him a tremendous
editor. My thanks are also due to Rebecca O'Connor for her sterling
work on chasing up so many publishers and extracting permissions.
Alan Grafen has lived with the stories, reading many of them along the
way: this book is for him, with my love and thanks.
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Contents
Introduction xi
THE MARQUIS DE SADE (1740-1814)
The Husband Who Said Mass
STENDHAL (1783—1842)
Vanina Vanini
7
THEOPHII.E GAUTIER (1811—1872)
The Coffee Pot
30
HONORE DB BALZAC (1799-1850)
The Message
37
PROSPER MERIMEE (1803—1870)
The Venus of Hie
49
EMILE ZOLA (1840-1902)
Story of a Madman
74
ALPHONSE DAUDET (1840-1897)
The Last Lesson
78
Contents
GUSTAVE FLAUBERT (l821-l88o)
A Simple Heart
«3
GUY DE MAUPASSANT (1850-1893)
The Necklace
in
At Sea
119
VILLIERS DE L'lSLE-ABAM (1838—1889)
Gloomy Tale, Gloomier Teller
124
JORIS-KARL HUYSMANS (1848-1907)
Knapsack at the Ready
131
RBN£E VIVIEN (1877—1909)
The Lady with the She-Wolf
156
MARCEL AYMfi (1902-1967)
The Walking Stick
163
COLETTE (1873—1954)
Gribiche
177
JEAN-PAUL SARTRE (1905-1980)
The Wall
205
Contents
GEORGES SIMENON (1903-1989)
The Man on the Street
221
B1KAGO D1OP (1906-1989)
An Errand
233
ALBERT CAMUS (1913-1960)
The Guest
237
SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR (1.908—1986)
Monologue
249
MICHEL TOURNIER (b. 1924)
The Lily of the Valley Lay-by
270
CHRISTIANS BAROCHE (b. 193?)
Do You Remember the Rue d'Orchampt?
295
HERVfi GUIBERT (l955~199l)
The Check-up
311
ASSIA DJEBAR (b. 1936)
There Is No Exile
315
RENE DEPESTRE (b. 1926)
The Negro with the White Shadow
326