Entre vice et vertu : la discrète présence d’Ernest d’Hervilly dans Le Nouveau Décaméron
Between Vice and Virtue: The Discreet Presence of Ernest d’Hervilly in Le Nouveau Décaméron

Summary/Abstract: In Le Nouveau Décaméron, Ernest d’Hervilly is requested only twice to tell a tale. Such a scanty presence for such a well-known author, and friend of Catulle Mendès, is somewhat surprising. And why select “Désirs d’ange” and “Night Bell” from amongst the plentiful works he had already published? Both stories, however, aptly show d’Hervilly’s style and spirit. They stand in deep contrast to, and mirror, his talent as a story-teller, his ability to vary the tales, and his interest in various geographical areas. Whilst considering these two tales, as well as the paratexts in between, this article aims to describe the portrait of a writer who is both complicated and modest, and who is constantly oscillating between jest and melancholy.

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