These short but powerful tales, written in his straightforward, realistic and elegant style at the height of his literary career, are a remarkable testimonial to that very particular corner of France Corsica had come under French rule in after years of rule by the Republic of Genoa, apart from two brief periods of independence [ and ]. It became a French department in A VENDETTA The widow Saverini lives with her grown son and her dog on the rocky flanks of the ancient town of Bonifacio in Corsica, but one night her son is treacherously knifed to death by a certain Nicolas, who immediately flees across the straits to Sardinia where Corsican bandits traditionally sought refuge from the authorities and revenge-seekers.
The poor, feeble, isolated widow swears revenge at all costs. THE HAND A retired judge who had served in the Corsican town of Ajaccio contributes to an after-dinner conversation about supernatural phenomena with an unexplained and very violent case he had been involved with in in that mysterious land.
HAPPINESS At tea-time in a villa on the French Riviera the view across the Mediterranean is so clear that Corsica can be perceived on the horizon, and one of the guests illustrates the theme of the conversation about whether love can really last long with his account of having met an elderly couple in a remote mountain cove there many years beforehand.
Using his considerable charm and experience to strike up a conversation with her on the boat, he discovers that she too is going to Ajaccio, to join her officer husband there, so he discretely reserves all of the seats on the coach that will take them there from Bastia across the mountains and gallantly offers the lady a seat.
The adventure begins as the coach leaves for the overnight trip, and it will not be entirely without incident. An e-book of these stories, with the original French texts in an annex, can be downloaded below. The original French texts of these stories can also be seen here.
