The Stepmother, A Drama in Five Acts
Balzac, Honoré de 1799-1850
English
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Below is a summary of The Stepmother, A Drama in Five Acts
THE STEPMOTHER
A DRAMA IN FIVE ACTS
BY
HONORE DE BALZAC
Presented for the First Time in Paris
At the Theatre-Historique
May 25, 1848
PERSONS OF THE PLAY
Comte de Grandchamp, a Napoleonic General
Eugene Ramel, a State's Attorney
Ferdinand Marcandal
Doctor Vernon
Godard
An Investigating Magistrate
Felix, servant to General de Grandchamp
Champagne, a foreman
Baudrillon, a druggist
Napoleon, son to General de Grandchamp by his second wife
Gertrude, second wife to General de Grandchamp
Pauline, daughter to General de Grandchamp by his first wife
Marguerite, maid to Pauline
Gendarmes, Sheriff's Officer, the Clergy
SCENE: Chateau of the General de Grandchamp, near Louviers, Normandy
TIME: 1829
THE STEPMOTHER
ACT I
SCENE FIRST
(A richly decorated drawing-room; on the walls are portraits of
Napoleon I. and his son. The entry is by a large double glass door,
which opens on a roofed veranda and leads by a short stairway to a
park. The door of Pauline's apartments are on the right; those of the
General and his wife are on the left. On the left side of the central
doorway is a table, and on the right is a cabinet. A vase full of
flowers stands by the entrance to Pauline's room. A richly carved
marble mantel, with a bronze clock and candelabras, faces these
apartments. In the front of the stage are two sofas, one on the left,
the other on the right. Gertrude enters, carrying the flowers which
she has just plucked, and puts them in the vase.)
Gertrude and the General.
Gertrude
I assure you, my dear, that it would be unwise to defer any longer
giving your daughter in marriage. She is now twenty-two. Pauline has
been very slow in making her choice; and, in such a case, it is the
duty of parents to see that their children are settled. Moreover, I am
very much interested in her.
The General
In what way?
Gertrude
The position of stepmother is always open to suspicion; and for some
time it has been rumored in Louviers that I am the person who throws
obstacles in the way of Pauline's marriage.
The General
That is merely the idle gossip of little towns. I should like to cut
out some of those silly tongues. And to think that they should attack
you of all people, Gertrude, who have been a real mother to
Pauline--whom you have educated most excellently!
Gertrude
It is the way of the world! They will never forgive us for living so
close to the town, yet never entering it. The society of the place
revenges itself upon us for slighting it. Do you think that our
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