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This is the story of Madame de--'s earrings. It is a story of jewelery, of love, of denial, of society that has the simplicity of a fairy tale and the elegance of an 18th century roman-a-clef. This novella became The Earrings of Madame de, a 1952 Max Ophuls film.

Chantilly in History and Art By Louise M. Richter

A sentimental fable of young Flemish girl who earns the disapproval of her father when she falls in love with a vagabond minstrel.

Bbe is a young woman of sixteen. She is an orphan, having been found drifting in the river amongst the water lilies to die. Old Antoine Mes fished her out of the waters and took care of her as though she were his own. But when Antoine dies, the old women of the village come to pester her. They are not thinking of what is best for Bbe, but what is best for them -- and each one, in turn, offers Bbe a deal. One says she will live with Bbe and wants nothing in return, but a few pieces of bread and some flowers to sell. Another woman offers Bbe her sons, who will till her land and grow vegetables -- leaving Bbe to want for nothing. Bbe sees through all this and insists that she can make it on her own. She will live in the hut and take care of the flower as Old Antoine had asked her. Bbe must survive the onslaughts of these women, she comes to realize, or she will lose the only home that she's ever known. ** Louise de la Rame wrote over forty novels including flamboyant romances of trend setters as well as children's books. She also wrote under the pseudonym "Ouida," a word derived from her own baby-talk of the name Louise. Her most famous novel was "Under Two Flags," which was dramatized on stage and screen.