FOOTNOTE:
Footnote 1: A play upon the French proverb, 'jeter son bonnet pardessus le moulin,' as much as to say 'to lose one's reputation.'
About This Book
The narrative centers on life at a vine-wreathed country estate where a household of relatives and acquaintances trade sharp wit, small domestic quarrels, and social maneuvering. An anticipated arrival sets off a series of romantic entanglements, social experiments, misunderstandings, and separations that send several characters to the city and back. Episodes include balls, letters from Paris, a storm with dramatic consequences, and periods of absence and rediscovery; recurring motifs are longing, social pretension, and quiet comedy of manners. The action moves among drawing-rooms, travels, and intimate reflections, and concludes with revelations and reunions that resolve lingering mysteries.