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The narrative follows Nadège Fedorevna, a fragile, exquisitely lovely young noblewoman whose ethereal beauty ensnares a clumsy but ardent cuirassier, and traces the consequences of their union within a world of drawing-room etiquette, picturesque villas, and social display. Through vivid descriptive passages and sharp social observation, the story examines vanity, romantic idealization, jealousy, and the strains placed on personal identity by marriage and public expectation, balancing melodramatic incidents with satirical portraits of aristocratic manners.
Table of contents created by Transcriber and placed into the public domain.
Minor punctuation and printer errors repaired.
Retained idiosyncratic, antiquated and inconsistent spellings.
Variations in hyphenation have been retained as in the original publication.
Left “pro formâ” as printed on page 256.