La Curee
La Curee is a novel by Emile Zola.
In this novel Aristide Saccard, who followed his brother Eugene to
Paris in the hope of sharing the spoils of the Second Empire (La Fortune des Rougon), was successful in amassing a vast fortune by
speculation in building-sites. His first wife having died, he married
Renee Beraud du Chatel, a lady of good family, whose dowry first
enabled him to throw himself into the struggle of financial life. In a
magnificent mansion which he built in the Parc Monceau a life of
inconceivable extravagance began. The mushroom society of Paris was at
this period the most corrupt in Europe, and the Saccards soon came to
be regarded as leaders in every form of pleasure. Vast though their
fortune was, their expenses were greater, and a catastrophe was
frequently imminent. Renee, satisfied with prodigality of every kind,
entered on an infamous liaison with her husband's son, a liaison which
Aristide condoned in order to extract money from his wife. Rene
ultimately died, leaving her husband immersed in his feverish
speculations.
Referenced By
L'Argent | Le Reve | Le Rêve
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