The mysteriously abandoned farm (Paul vol4, Le Prieur, An X - 1802) - Bovinet after Binet
Notice précédente Notice n°4 sur 4
Description
Commander Waroménil and a few of his relatives travel to Paris to celebrate a wedding, then return to old man Marcian's farm, adjoining the Marquise de Belbonne's château. Several people are supposed to be waiting for them: Marcian, Paul and a few servants. However, when they arrive, the commander and his retinue find absolutely no one.
The next day, Abbé Rendu rushes in, accompanied by two servants, to clarify these mysterious events: in the picture, he arrives on the right, while the abadoned farm is visible on the left.
The abbé then lifts the veil on a secret that frees both the characters and the novel's readers: Marcian is in fact the marquise's father; he had decided never to see her again after her marriage to a seducer. But eager to make amends with her now-blind father, the Marquise had him secretly installed near her to watch over him.
Informed of this situation during the night, Marcian abruptly decided to leave the farm. Paul and the servants followed him in an attempt to reason with him, which explains the total absence of people when the commander arrived.
- Above the engraving: "4".
Legend: "Here at last is Mr. le Prieur de Garnay! - ah, | tant mieux; nous allons savoir quelque chose!"
Signed below the engraving: left "Binet del.", right "Bovinet Sculp."
Technical Data
Notice #025524