Guy de Maupassant (1850 to 1893, France) is certainly France's highest regarded short story writer. He has a good claim on the title of second best short story writer born in the 19th century. He is considered a founding father of the modern short story. The last time I read him was during The Paris in July 2013 Event. Paris in Juy 2014 motivated me to read his set, and written, in Paris short story, "My Landlady". Maupassant wrote a lot of short stories, some short novels and a few plays.
"The Landlady" centers on a college student, in from Burgandy to study in Paris. His parents decide if they give him a cash allowance he might squander it so they arrange to pay for room and board with a respectable Parisian ladylady. The boarding house was five narrow stories, with four other students, the landlady and her helper living there. The young man occupies two rooms on the fifth floor. The ladylady, about forty, looks after the students like a strict mother, making sure their rooms are neat and feeding them well. They are required to be in by midnight. The young man meets a shop girl in the streets. He sneaks her into his room and just as he has her nearly naked the landlady walks in on him. She goes nuts telling him she is not running a baudy house etc. The humiliated girl dress runs out and refused to ever see him again.
I think the main point of this story, Maupassant wrote for magazines that paid him well once he became famous and which demanded constant content, is to produce the image at the end of the story. He was probably pushing the limits of the allowable with this ending. It was fun to read. I do not know who translated it.
I am including this very Paris centered work
as part of my participation in Paris in July, 2014.
Mel u
