Colomba - Softcover

Mérimée, Prosper; Grenot, Chantal

Softcover

ISBN 10: 2011670969 ISBN 13: 9782011670960

Publisher: Hachette, 1996

Synopsis

Excerpt: ..."Brandolaccio is an upright man," said Colomba; "but as to Castriconi, I have heard he is quite unprincipled." "I think," said Orso, "that he is as good as Brandolaccio, and Brandolaccio is as good as he. Both of them are at open war with society. Their first crime leads them on to fresh ones, every day, and yet they are very likely not half so guilty as many people who don't live in the maquis." A flash of joy shone in his sister's eyes. "Yes," he continued, "these wretches have a code of honour of their own. It is a cruel prejudice, not a mean instinct of greed, that has forced them into the life they are leading." There was a silence. "Brother," said Colomba, as she poured out his coffee, "perhaps you have heard that Carlo-Battista Pietri died last night. Yes, he died of the marsh-fever." "Who is Pietri?" "A man belonging to this village, the husband of Maddalena, who took the pocket-book out of our father's hand as he was dying. His widow has been here to ask me to join the watchers, and sing something. You ought to come, too. They are our neighbours, and in a small place like this we can not do otherwise than pay them this civility." "Confound these wakes, Colomba! I don't at all like my sister to perform in public in this way." "Orso," replied Colomba, "every country pays honour to its dead after its own fashion. The ballata has come down to us from our forefathers, and we must respect it as an ancient custom. Maddalena does not possess the 'gift,' and old Fiordispina, the best voceratrice in the country, is ill. They must have somebody for the ballata." "Do you believe Carlo-Battista won't find his way safely into the next world unless somebody sings bad poetry over his bier? Go if you choose, Colomba

About this title

About the Author:

1803 - 1870. Auteur de supercheries litteraires ("Theatre de Clara Gazul, " 1825; "la Guzla, " 1827), de romans historiques ("Chronique du regne de CharlesIX, " 1829), il doit sa celebrite a ses nouvelles ("Mateo Falcone, " 1829; "Tamango; la Venus d'Ille; Colomba, " 1840; "Carmen"; "la Chambre bleue"). Inspecteur des Monuments historiques, il fut, sous l'Empire, un des familiers des souverains. Il traduisit alors les ecrivains russes. Romantique par le choix des sujets et le gout de la couleur locale, Merimee appartient a l'art classique par la concision de son style. (Academie francaise.)

About this edition

• Publisher: Hachette
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 2011670969
• ISBN 13: 9782011670960
• Binding: Paperback