Publisher's Synopsis
The Vicar of Tours is a novel written by Honore de Balzac, a French author, and was first published in 1832. The story is set in the small town of Tours, France, during the early 19th century, and follows the life of a Catholic priest named Felix de Vandenesse.Felix is a young and ambitious priest who is appointed as the vicar of Tours. He quickly becomes popular among the people of the town due to his charming personality and his ability to give inspiring sermons. However, his life takes a dramatic turn when he falls in love with a beautiful and wealthy widow named Madame de Mortsauf.Madame de Mortsauf is a devout Catholic who is still grieving the loss of her husband. Despite her reservations, she finds herself drawn to Felix and they begin a passionate affair. However, their relationship is soon discovered by the townspeople, and Felix is forced to leave Tours in disgrace.The novel explores themes of love, faith, and morality, and provides a vivid portrayal of the social and religious customs of the time. It also offers a commentary on the role of the Catholic Church in French society during the 19th century.Overall, The Vicar of Tours is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that provides a fascinating insight into the complexities of human relationships and the challenges faced by those who seek to reconcile their faith with their desires.The next morning, on awaking, Birotteau thought so much of his prospective canonry that he forgot the four circumstances in which he had seen, the night before, such threatening prognostics of a future full of misery. The vicar was not a man to get up without a fire. He rang to let Marianne know that he was awake and that she must come to him; then he remained, as his habit was, absorbed in somnolent musings.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.