A Virgin Heart

Remy de Gourmont's provocative novel strips away the comforts of sentimental romance to examine innocence as a living, bodily, and psychological condition. In a pointedly unsparing portrait of a "virgin heart," it follows Rose, a young woman whose seeming purity is tested by desire, secrecy, and the social performances that surround her. Against this backdrop, M. Hervart and Rose begin with playful uncertainty in a sunlit garden, where flirtation, art-talk, and family conversation quietly deepen into attachment. As their journey continues toward Cherbourg, their intimacy grows more charged, even as fear, jealousy, and practical concerns threaten to intrude. Around them, Leonor becomes captivated by Rose's passion for another man, then increasingly entangled in his own longing, moving from admiration to pursuit. When Hervart's evasions and a revealing postcard shatter Rose's trust, she collapses into grief and disillusionment. Leonor's carefully timed revelations intensify the wound, but also expose his own sincerity, culminating in a confession of love that leaves Rose shaken, ashamed, and newly aware of her own desires. Bold, intimate, and psychologically acute, the novel is a frank meditation on purity, betrayal, and the uneasy passage into adulthood. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.