Project Gutenberg
1998-12-01
Public domain in the USA.
383
Balzac, Honoré de
1799
1850
Balzac, Honore de
Saint-Aubin, Horace de
De Balzac, Honoré
Balzac, H. de (Honoré de)
Dowson, Ernest Christopher
1867
1900
A Passion in the Desert
Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Une_passion_dans_le_d%C3%A9sert
Produced by John Bickers, and Dagny, and David Widger
"A Passion in the Desert" by Honoré de Balzac is a short story written in the early 19th century, specifically during the Romantic era. This fictional narrative explores themes of survival, companionship, and the complexities of human-animal relationships against the backdrop of the Egyptian desert. Balzac delves into the isolation and introspection experienced by a soldier lost in the vast wilderness, emphasizing the intersection of human emotions with the natural world. The story follows a Provencal soldier who, after escaping from Arab captors, becomes stranded in the desert. Surrounded by desolation and despair, he encounters a panther, whom he names "Mignonne." Despite the initial threat she poses, the soldier begins to bond with the animal, nurturing an unlikely friendship that brings him solace during his solitude. As days pass, their relationship evolves from fear to affection, with the soldier finding companionship in the majestic creature. However, the poignant climax reveals a tragic misunderstanding that leads the soldier to fatally wound Mignonne, leaving him to grapple with profound remorse. Balzac’s tale ultimately reflects on the nature of love, loyalty, and the heart-wrenching pain of loss amidst the stark beauty of the desert landscape. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Reading ease score: 71.7 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
en
Adventure and adventurers -- Fiction
Deserts -- Fiction
PQ
Text
Category: Short Stories
Category: French Literature
60804
2025-08-01T10:10:08.269168
text/html
56655
2016-11-23T09:08:28
text/html; charset=us-ascii
21099
2016-11-23T09:11:10
text/html; charset=us-ascii
application/zip
94791
2025-08-01T10:10:13.300158
application/epub+zip
93527
2025-08-01T10:10:11.080159
application/epub+zip
84434
2025-08-01T10:10:09.861167
application/epub+zip
196170
2025-08-01T10:10:14.986169
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
189292
2025-08-01T10:10:12.659208
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
150554
2022-09-01T11:22:13.357373
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
50810
2025-08-01T10:10:07.969177
text/plain; charset=us-ascii
50690
2016-11-23T09:07:14
text/plain; charset=utf-8
19989
2016-11-23T09:11:10
text/plain; charset=utf-8
application/zip
50302
2010-02-26T12:13:38
text/plain; charset=us-ascii
19890
2010-02-26T12:14:40
text/plain; charset=us-ascii
application/zip
21696
2025-08-01T10:10:15.140163
application/rdf+xml
13503
2025-08-01T10:10:10.360184
image/jpeg
3720
2025-08-01T10:10:10.111154
image/jpeg
93383
2025-08-01T10:10:08.276182
application/octet-stream
application/zip
Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at
https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog
fr.wikipedia
en.wikipedia
en.wikipedia