The Page Fleur de Ma

An intriguing and mysterious tale «The Page Fleur de Ma» about the adventures of noble nobles, the prisoners of the Bastille, and the conspiracy of Fouquet was first published in French in 1868. Its author, writer Pierre Alexis de Ponson... du Terrail, earned fame as a master of criminal adventure plots. The main historical figures in the tale «The Page Fleur de Ma» may be familiar to Russian readers from Dumas' novel «The Vicomte de Bragelonne». In this edition, Ponson's tale is published for the first time in full translation. The book is adorned with magnificent illustrations by one of the most famous illustrators of the 19th century — Gustave Doré.
In the second half of the 19th century, all of Paris was absorbed in adventure stories about the crafty and elusive swindler Rocambole. Descriptions of his exploits were regularly published in capital newspapers, and the public eagerly anticipated the arrival of new chapters. In the history of literature, Rocambole became the first «superhero»; he was a forerunner of Arsène Lupin, Fantômas, and even Ostap Bender. This character was conceived by the French writer Pierre Alexis de Ponson du Terrail. He was born in the summer of 1829 into an old aristocratic family and was supposed to follow in his grandfather's footsteps to become a military man. Pierre took to writing after failing the entrance exams for the Naval Academy. Ponson du Terrail worked like a madman — he sat down at the table at five in the morning and wrote, not straightening his back, until evening. As a result, over 20 years, Ponson du Terrail composed two hundred novellas, in which Rocambole was just one of the hundreds of characters he created. Of course, it was not just about the quantity of writing. Ponson du Terrail had an innate gift of a talented storyteller. His tales were read by everyone — from commoners to aristocrats. Read the tale «The Page Fleur de Ma», and you will feel it yourself. This is literature on the level of «The Three Musketeers» by Dumas. France rightfully appreciated the talent of Ponson du Terrail, making him a knight of the Order of the Legion of Honor. It's a pity that the writer's life was short. Ponson du Terrail died of smallpox in November 1870. He was not yet 42 years old.