Sister Anne (Novels of Paul de Kock, Volume X)

"Sister Anne" by Paul de Kock is a story about Dubourg, an easygoing man in his thirties, whose life takes a turn when he loses money entrusted to him by his aunt. Roaming the quiet streets of Paris, he thinks about his past mistakes and considers asking his well-off friend, Frédéric, for help. The story opens with Dubourg walking through Paris, feeling sorry for himself and making light of his situation. He regrets his gambling habit and worries about how it affects his friendship with Frédéric. The story becomes tense when Dubourg unexpectedly finds himself at a fancy party at Frédéric's house, realizing he has crashed a major social gathering. This sets up a humorous exploration of friendship, what society expects, and the results of choices made in Paris in the early 1800s.