La femme au collier de velours

by Alexandre Dumas

"La femme au collier de velours" by Alexandre Dumas is a novel published in 1850. The story blends autobiography with fiction as Dumas recounts a tale told to him by his friend Charles Nodier. It follows the German writer E.T.A. Hoffmann, who travels to Paris during the French Revolution despite promising his fiancée Antonia he would remain faithful. There, he becomes obsessed with Arsène, a mysterious dancer wearing a velvet choker with a silver guillotine clasp. Driven by desire, Hoffmann breaks his promises—leading to devastating consequences.