zibeline volume 1
- Author: philippe massa
- Genre: Graphic Novels
ALEXANDRE-PHILIPPE-REGNIER DE MASSAMARQUIS DE MASSA, soldier, composer, and French dramatist, was born inParis, December 5, 1831. He selected the military career and received acommission in the cavalry after leaving the school of St. Cyr. He servedin the Imperial Guards, took part in the Italian and Franco-German Warsand was promoted Chief of Squadron, Fifth Regiment, Chasseurs a Cheval,September 10, 1871. Having tendered his resignation from active service,he was appointed a lieutenant-colonel in the territorial army February 3,1880. He has been decorated with the Legion of Honor.The Marquis de Massa is known as a composer of music and as a dramaticauthor and novelist. At the Opera Comique there was represented in 1861Royal-Cravate, written by him. Fragments of two operas by him wereperformed at the Paris Conservatory of Music in 1865, and in 1868. Thelist of his principal plays follows: 'Le Service en campagne, comedy(1882); La Cicatrice, comedy (1885); Au Mont Ida, Fronsac a La Bastille,and La Coeur de Paris, all in 1887; La Czarine and Brouille depuisMagenta (1888), and La Bonne Aventure--all comedies--1889. Together withPetipa he also wrote a ballet Le Roi d'Yvetot (1866); music by CharlesLabarre. He further wrote Zibeline, a most brilliant romance (1892) withan Introduction by Jules Claretie; crowned by the Academie Francaise.This odd and dainty little story has a heroine of striking originality,in character and exploits. Her real name is Valentine de Vermont, andshe is the daughter of a fabulously wealthy French-American dealer infurs, and when, after his death, she goes to Paris to spend her colossalfortune, and to make restitution to the man from whom her father won atplay the large sum that became the foundation of his wealth, certainlively Parisian ladies, envying her her rich furs, gave her the name ofZibeline, that of a very rare, almost extinct, wild animal. Zibeline'sAmerican unconventionality, her audacity, her wealth, and generosity, setall Paris by the ears. There are fascinating glimpses into the drawing-rooms of the most exclusive Parisian society, and also into the historicgreenroom of the Comedie Francaise, on a brilliant "first night." The manto whom she makes graceful restitution of his fortune is a hero of theFranco-Mexican and Franco-Prussian wars, and when she gives him back hisproperty, she throws her heart in with the gift. The story is aninteresting study of a brilliant and unconventional American girl as seenby the eyes of a clever Frenchman.Later came 'La Revue quand meme, comedy, (1894); Souvenirs et Impressions(1897); La Revue retrospective, comedy (1899); and Sonnets' the sameyear.
zibeline volume 3
- Author: philippe massa
- Genre: Graphic Novels
ZIBELINE RECEIVESThe Duchesse de Montgeron had no children, and her most tender affectionswere concentrated upon her husband and her brother. The scruples whichcaused the latter to forswear matrimony grieved her deeply, for, knowingthe inflexibility of his character, she was sure that no one in the worldcould make him alter his decision.Thus, on one side the title of the Duc de Montgeron was destined to passto a collateral branch of the family; and on the other, the title ofMarquis de Prerolles would become extinct with the General.But, although she now considered it impossible to realize the projectwhich she had momentarily cherished, she continued to show the samekindness to Mademoiselle de Vermont. She would have regarded any othercourse as unworthy of her, since she had made the first advances;moreover, the young girl's nature was so engaging that no one whoapproached her could resist her charm.Very reserved or absolutely frank, according to the degree of confidencewith which she was treated, Valentine had sufficient intuition to avoid alack of tact.She was, in feminine guise, like 'L'Ingenu' of Voltaire, struck, as wasHuron, with all that was illogical in our social code; but she did notmake, after his fashion, a too literal application of its rules, and knewwhere to draw the line, if she found herself on the point of making somehazardous remark, declaring frankly: "I was about to say somethingfoolish!" which lent originality to her playful conversation.After receiving from Valentine's hands the contract signed in presence ofthe notary, for the benefit of the Orphan Asylum, the president of thesociety did not fail to give a dinner in honor of the new patroness.As she was a foreigner she was placed in the seat of honor at the table,to the great displeasure of Madame Desvanneaux, who was invited to takethe second place, in spite of her title of vice-president.
zibeline volume 2
- Author: philippe massa
- Genre: Graphic Novels
THE INDUSTRIAL ORPHAN ASYLUMWhen the prefectoral axe of the Baron Haussmann hewed its way through theFaubourg St. Germain in order to create the boulevard to which thisaristocratic centre has given its flame, the appropriation of privateproperty for public purposes caused to disappear numerous ancientdwellings bearing armorial devices, torn down in the interest of thepublic good, to the equalizing level of a line of tramways. In the midstof this sacrilegious upheaval, the Hotel de Montgeron, one of the largestin the Rue St. Dominique, had the good fortune to be hardly touched bythe surveyor's line; in exchange for a few yards sliced obliquely fromthe garden, it received a generous addition of air and light on that sideof the mansion which formerly had been shut in.The Duke lived there in considerable state. His electors, faithful inall things, had made of their deputy a senator who sat in the Luxembourg,in virtue of the Republican Constitution, as he would have sat as a peerof France had the legitimate monarchy followed its course. He was agreat lord in the true meaning of the word: gracious to the humble,affable among his equals, inclined, among the throng of new families, totake the part of the disinherited against that of the usurpers.In Mademoiselle de Prerolles he had found a companion animated with thesame sentiments, and the charitable organization, meeting again at theDuchess's residence, on the day following the revival of 'AdrienneLecouvreuer', to appoint officers for the Industrial Orphan Asylum, couldnot have chosen a president more worthy or more devoted.Besides such austere patronesses as Madame Desvanneaux and her daughter,the organization included several persons belonging to the world offashion, such as Madame de Lisieux and Madame de Nointel, whose influencewas the more effective because their circle of acquaintance was moreextensive. The gay world often fraternizes willingly with those who areinterested in philanthropic works.The founders of the Industrial Orphan Asylum intended that theinstitution should harbor, bring up, and instruct as great a number aspossible of the children of infirm or deceased laborers.The secretary, M. Andre Desvanneaux, churchwarden of Ste.-Clotilde, aswas his father before him, and in addition a Roman count, had justfinished his address, concluding by making the following doublestatement: First, the necessity for combining all available-funds for thepurchase of the land required, and for the building of the asylum itself;second, to determine whether the institution could be maintained by theannual resources of the organization."I should like to observe," said the Duchesse de Montgeron, "that thefirst of these two questions is the only order of the day. Not countingthe purchase of the land, the architect's plan calls for an estimate offive hundred thousand francs in round numbers.""And we have on hand--" said the Comtesse de Lisieux
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