検索キーワード： "Guy de Maupassant" アクション・冒険

Depuis quarante jours, il marchait, cherchant partout du travail. Il avait quitté son pays, Ville-Avaray, dans la Manche, parce que l'ouvrage manquait. Compagnon charpentier, âgé de vingt-sept ans, bon sujet, vaillant, il était resté pendant deux mois à la charge de sa famille, lui, fils aîné, n'ayant plus qu'à croiser ses bras vigoureux, dans le chômage général. Le pain devint rare dans la maison ; les deux sœurs allaient en journée, mais gagnaient peu.

This chilling tale of one man’s descent into madness was published shortly before the author was institutionalized for insanity, and so The Horla has inevitably been seen as informed by Guy de Maupassant’s mental illness. While such speculation is murky, it is clear that de Maupassant—hailed alongside Chekhov as father of the short story—was at the peak of his powers in this innovative precursor of first-person psychological fiction.

"The Necklace" is a short story about Mathilde Loisel, a middle-class woman who dreams of a luxurious life. She borrows a diamond necklace from her wealthy friend, Madame Forestier, to wear to a ball, where she feels glamorous. However, after losing the necklace, Mathilde and her husband spend ten years in poverty to repay the debt incurred to replace it.

Guy de Maupassant, France's gift to the world of short stories, was a prolific writer of this genre. His complete collection numbers just under 200.