The Thirteen

INTRODUCTION

The _Histoire des Treize_ consists--or rather is built up--of three stories: _Ferragus_ or the _Rue Soly_, _La Duchesse de Langeais_ or _Ne touchez-paz a la hache_, and _La Fille aux Yeux d’Or_.

To tell the truth, there is more power than taste throughout the _Histoire des Treize_, and perhaps not very much less unreality than power. Balzac is very much better tha...