Juana

In this short novella, the French army have taken a Spanish town and a notorious philanderer (Montefiore) wheedles his way into a household in order to seduce their 18 year old daughter - the daughter is the latest in a long line of high-class prostitutes who have gained almost mythical status and the job has passed down the mothers' line (fathers being persons unknown) with the family name of Marana. Juana's mother wanted to break this cycle and passed her daughter on to be brought up - but in Balzac's world, blood will out and she willingly goes along with Montefiore's seduction, who - when found in flagrante with Juana - is caught between his story to her father that he was happily married and his story to Juana that he was single and desperate to marry her.