Les Secrets de la princesse de Cadignan

Les Secrets de la princesse de Cadignan (English "The Secrets of the Princesse de Cadignan") is a short story by Honoré de Balzac. It was published in 1839 and is one of the Scènes de la vie Parisienne of La Comédie humaine.

The short story depicts a princess of Cadignan whose husband was exiled. After a number of extramarital affairs, the princess decides to seduce a conservative politician. She uses the pretext of conversing about a deceased mutual friend, and makes an effort to read the politician's books in order to have topics to discuss with him.

Plot summary
Diane de Maufrigneuse, also known as the Princesse de Cadignan is an aristocrat whose husband went into exile after the July Revolution in 1830 due to his loyalty to Charles X. She has had a number of love affairs which her husband has ignored. She was also loved by Michel Chrestien, who admired her from afar, usually attending the opera in order to see her. Chrestien, an ardent republican is killed in a republican uprising in 1832.

She wishes to meet and ensnare the esteemed writer and conservative politician, Daniel d'Arthez. Her pretext for meeting him is that he was a friend of Chrestien. They had been very close friends in spite of their different political opinions. In order to arrange this meeting, her friend Marquise d'Espard hosts a small dinner party and invites Diane, d'Arthez and some others. The Princesse and d'Arthez are seated next to each other, and speak about Chrestien. Afterwards, d'Arthez visits the Princesses' home every evening and falls in love with her. Diane hurriedly reads his books during the day in order to converse about them with d'Arthez in the evenings.

One evening Diane tells d'Arthez how high society has wronged her particularly by gossiping about her. Daniel falls more deeply in love with her. Then at her request he attends a party at Marquise d'Espard's home without her. There he hears some of the guests gossiping about Diane, particularly the ways in which she has used her former lovers. Daniel rebukes the others and speaks in defence of Diane.

Afterwards, Daniel and Diane become more committed in their love for each other. They spend more time together and d'Arthez spends less time on his writing.

Reception and legacy
This story influenced works by other authors. It is analysed by a character in Marcel Proust's Sodome et Gomorrhe, and it also influenced the plot of Henry James's The American.

Adaptation
1982: Les Secrets de la princesse de Cadignan, TV movie directed by Jacques Deray, with Claudine Auger in the role of the Princess of Cadignan; Marina Vlady: the Marquise d'Espard; François Marthouret: Daniel d'Arthez; Pierre Arditi: Émile Blondet; Niels Arestrup: Rastignac; Françoise Christophe: the Countess of Montcornet.