My Neighbor Raymond (Novels of Paul de Kock Volume XI)

"My Neighbor Raymond" by Paul de Kock is a 19th-century novel that tells a funny story about a young man named Dorsan and his adventures with women in Paris, especially a sweet flower girl named Nicette. The book uses humor and observations about society to explore themes of love and doing what's right in the exciting but sometimes shady world of Paris. The story begins with Dorsan daydreaming about romance when he bumps into Nicette, a flower seller, and tries to talk to her on the streets. Even though she seems shy, he's drawn to her. After some funny events, like dealing with a cab driver and another guy who likes Nicette, Dorsan helps her out of trouble. This makes him think hard about what he wants and what their friendship means, setting the stage for a story full of both funny romantic situations and serious life lessons.