Short Fiction · Chapter
One Evening explained
The narrator recounts a story told by Trémoulin, a bookseller, about his wife's infidelity.
What happens
The narrator recounts a story told by Trémoulin, a bookseller, about his wife's infidelity. Trémoulin describes their happy marriage and his growing jealousy after suspecting she lied about an errand. He eventually sets a trap to catch her with her lover, only to discover she is with the elderly General de Flèche instead of the younger man he expected. His rage turns into a bitter condemnation of women who betray their husbands for status or money.
Themes in this chapter
Marriage and Domesticity
Trémoulin's marriage is initially portrayed as happy and successful, but it is shattered by his wife's betrayal.
Obsession and Delusion
Trémoulin's jealousy becomes an all-consuming obsession, leading him to spy, fantasize about murder, and ultimately confront a reality worse than his suspicions.
Gender and Power
Trémoulin's fury is directed at women who use their sexuality for social gain, highlighting the power dynamics and moral judgments surrounding female infidelity.
Characters to notice
- Guy de Maupassant
The narrator who listens to Trémoulin's story under the stars.
- Duc de Servigny
Present as a listener during Trémoulin's tale.
Key passages
“You are nothing but a maniac haunted by a woman, nothing exists in the world but her.”
In the throes of love, you become obsessed, unable to think of anything else.
Describes the narrator's early infatuation with his wife.
“I was filled with a vile but steady desire to get up, take a candle and hammer and with a single stroke split her head open to see what was inside!”
I felt a horrifying urge to kill her to discover the truth.
Trémoulin's violent fantasy driven by jealousy.
“It was the General de Flèche, aged sixty-six!”
The lover was the elderly General, not the younger man he expected.
The shocking revelation that changes Trémoulin's perspective.