Bernard Pingaud Books

Count d'Orgel is handsome, charming, and carefree, a model of cool aristocratic aplomb. His wife, the Countess, is beautiful and pure, and loves her husband more than anything in the world. But from the moment the d'Orgels meet and befriend the clever young François de Séryeuse backstage at the circus, all three of these supremely civilized and witty people are caught up in an ever more intricate and seductive dance of deception and self-deception. At Count d'Orgel's masquerade ball, the real disguises are those of the human heart.Completed just before Raymond Radiguet's death at the age of twenty, Count d'Orgel's Ball is a love story that is as disturbing as it is delicious.

Set in the royal court of Henry II of France, the story follows Mademoiselle de Chartres, a sheltered heiress seeking a suitable husband. As she navigates her duties as a future princess, she grapples with her passionate love for another man, creating a tension between obligation and desire. Celebrated for its historical accuracy and introspective characters, the novel marks a significant shift in literature towards realism, moving away from romanticized narratives. This classic remains a pivotal work in French literary history.