Adieu (Esprios Classics)

Adieu (English "Farewell") is a short story by Honoré de Balzac. It was published in 1830 in La Mode. It is one of the Études philosophiques of La Comédie humaine. In 1819, two men, Baron Philippe de Sucy and Marquis d'Albon get lost while out hunting near L'Isle-Adam. They come across an old manor house and stop to look at it. They see a young woman, who calls out "Adieu" to them and runs away. De Sucy faints, and d'Albon helps him to get away in a carriage which happens to be passing by. They are told that the young woman is Comtesse Stephanie de Vandieres and that she is insane. Afterwards, d'Albon revisits the old house and meets its owner, who tells him about Stephanie, who is his niece.