La Vénus d'Ille

by Prosper Mérimée

"La Vénus d'Ille" by Prosper Mérimée is a fantastical short story written in 1835 and published in 1837. Set in a small town in the Pyrénées-Orientales, the tale follows an archaeologist who visits a local antiquarian to examine a recently unearthed statue of Venus. The beautiful bronze figure seems to possess a sinister quality, having already caused mysterious accidents. As a wedding approaches, strange incidents multiply around the statue, and an ominous inscription warns: "Beware if she loves you."