The Maids of Paradise

"The Maids of Paradise" by Robert W. Chambers is a story set during the Franco-Prussian War and follows John Scarlett, an Imperial Military Police inspector, as he hunts for John Buckhurst, a suspicious character connected to a colony at La Trappe. As Scarlett looks for Buckhurst amidst the chaos of war, he finds himself ordered to capture not only Buckhurst but also the socialists linked to the Countess de Vassart, an idealist trying to escape the unstable Empire. The narrative explores the characters' struggles within a society on the edge of great change, highlighting moral questions and personal battles as Scarlett's mission gets more dangerous.