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Abbé Aubain and Mosaics

by Prosper Mérimée (1803–1870)

  • Free to read
  • 6 hours to read
  • 9 chapters
  • Reading level: 7th grade

"The Abbé Aubain and Mosaics" by Prosper Mérimée is a collection of short stories written in the early 19th century. The volume features various narratives, with the titular story focusing on the character Abbé Aubain, a priest with an intriguing background and personal struggles, alongside other tales like "Mateo Falcone", exploring themes of duty, love, and morality. This work reflects Mérimée's distinctive style, characterized by a blend of scholarly precision and emotional depth, revealing the complexities of human nature and societal norms. At the start of "The Abbé Aubain", the reader is introduced to the correspondence of Madame de P-----, who recounts her life in Noirmoutiers, including her conversations with the local priest, Abbé Aubain. Madame expresses her discontent about her life, revealing a sense of resignation to their financial struggles and touching on themes of isolation and introspection. Through her letters, we learn about her complex relationship with her husband and her growing connection to the Abbé, hinting at a layered narrative filled with humor, melancholy, and possibly unrequited feelings. The correspondence sets the stage for exploring deeper themes of love, loss, and the human desire for connection, all while providing a window into the life of the priest and the influence he has on her.

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  • Short stories
  • French fiction · Translations into English

Read the opening

Chapter I

"Théodore," said Professor Wittembach, "please give me that manuscript-book, bound in parchment, which is laid on the second shelf above my writing-desk—no, not that one, but the small octavo volume. I copied all the notes of my journal of 1866 in it—at least those that relate to Count Szémioth."

The Professor put on his glasses, and, amid profound silence, read the following:—

with this Lithuanian proverb as a motto:

"Miszka su Lokiu,
Abu du tokiu."[1]

When the first translation of the Holy Scriptures into the Lithuanian language appeared in London, I published in the Scientific and Literary Gazette of Koenigsberg, an article wherein, while rendering full justice to the efforts of the learned interpreter and to the pious motives of the Bible Society, I pointed out several slight errors, and showed, moreover, that this version could only be useful to one portion of the Lithuanian people.

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Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Chapter I
  3. Chapter II
  4. Chapter III
  5. Chapter IV
  6. Chapter V
  7. Chapter VI
  8. Chapter VII
  9. Chapter VIII

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About this edition

This free edition of Abbé Aubain and Mosaics by Prosper Mérimée comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #35004, released 2011-01-19. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Short Stories, French Literature.

Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).

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