Mademoiselle Clocque

by René Boylesve

"Mademoiselle Cloque" by René Boylesve is a novel published in 1899. Set in 1880s Tours, France, it follows a seventy-year-old idealistic spinster who becomes consumed by a religious dispute over rebuilding a grand basilica dedicated to Saint Martin. Rigid in her convictions, she sacrifices her niece's happiness and promising marriage over the controversy, refusing any compromise with those favoring a modest church. The novel portrays her unyielding battle against opportunism and hypocrisy, ultimately depicting idealism's defeat by practical realities.