Une Page d'amour
A sheet of Love ( French Une page d'amour ) is a novel by Émile Zola in 1877, while the eighth part of the twenty -volume Rougon - Macquart cycle. It was first published in installments of 11 December 1877 to 4 April 1878 in the journal Le Bien public. A book edition followed in April 1878 at Charpentier.
The central character of the novel is Hélène Grandjean, born Mouret, the Luck of the Rougon family is the readership already, the daughter of Adelaïde Fouque ( = mother Didé ) from the novel known.
Action
The story takes place from 1854 to 1855. IN the beginning of the novel Hélène is already 18 months a widow. Her husband is ill immediately after their joint arrival in Paris and died eight days thereafter. Together with her eleven year old daughter Jeanne Hélène lives in the Parisian district of Passy. Mother and daughter have since hardly leave the apartment. You know the city from almost only by the view from their windows.
In the night, in employing the action, Jeanne has fallen into an epileptic seizure. Hélène runs in panic to the streets to find a doctor. She asks her neighbor, Mr. Doctor Deberle, who is a doctor by chance, for help. He treated the child. A few days later find him Hélène, to thank him. It shall be included in his circle of friends, learns his wife Juliette, and some friends of the family know. Among these is Mr. Malignon, an urbane and in dealing with women experienced man. Hélène's only friends are the two former friends of her late husband, a step- brothers: the Abbe Jouve, who understands his office in the church of Passy, and Mr. Rambaud, a merchant. At the suggestion of the Abbé himself Hélène cares about the poor old mother fetu. When she meets with her doctor Deberle. FETU mother tried to pair the two. During a subsequent visit she brings it accomplishes that that the two some time alone.
Juliette is a party for the children from the neighborhood. At this party admits doctor Deberle Héléne passionate his love. Hélène then flees to her apartment.
In May Hélène and Jeanne regularly go to the fair, where they meet Juliette. Doctor Deberle brings his wife after the show from frequently. He also still waiting outside the church is run as Juliettte for a cure. The Abbe Jouve proposes Hélène plan to marry Rambaud, which she refuses.
Jeanne falls seriously ill. About three weeks away it is cared for by her mother and doctor Deberle. In a critical stage, the doctor saves the child by it tackles leeches. Hélène Deberle confesses her love. In the following months, the doctor and the mother spend time together. This awakened the jealousy of the child. Jeanne's disease symptoms reappear once Deberle is present.
Hélène accidentally discovers that Malignon and Juliette arrange to meet secretly. FETU mother tells her that Malignon has rented some rooms in her house. She speculates that Malignon and Juliette want to meet you there. Héléne visited FETU mother to bring her a pair of shoes. In truth, she wants to inspect the rooms.
The next day, Hélène Juliette wants to warn and deter the adultery, but she meets in the House of Deberles to a rehearsal and finds no opportunity to speak Juliette in private. It will throw an anonymous letter in the mailbox of the Deberles in which the doctor is asked to come at a certain time at that address. Immediately before Hélène gets a guilty conscience. She hurries to that address and warns Juliette and Malignon who flee down the back stairs. As a doctor Deberle appears, he believes in a rendezvous arranged by Hélène. Hélène gives herself to him. Jeanne, abandoned by her mother alone, angry and jealous, opens her window and stretches her arms out into the cold rain. They fall into lethargy, believes that her mother does not love her anymore and will not return to her. So her mother finds them hours later.
Jeanne tuberculosis. The suggestion of her old family doctor to take a course in Italy, it accesses happy until she learns that the Deberles will be traveling to Italy. Hélène is so in love that they are long does not recognize the severity of her daughter's illness. After a slow and agonizing death of Jeanne's wife Deberle organized the funeral. Her husband is absent on that day. Two years after the death of Joan married Hélène Mr. Rambaud and goes with him to Marseilles.