Léon Séché
Delphine Gay, Mme de Girardin, dans ses rapports avec Lamartine, Victor Hugo, Balzac, Rachel, Jules Sandeau, Dumas, Eugène Sue et George Sand (documents inédits)
"Le Mariage de Gabrielle" by Daniel Lesueur is a novel written in the late 19th century. The story revolves around the lives of several characters from the French aristocracy, particularly focusing on René de Laverdie, a young count who recently lost his fortune through gambling, and his close friend Alphonse de Linières. The narrative sets the stage for a complicated romantic entanglement involving class distinctions and the societal pressures of nobility. The opening of the novel introduces the comte René de Laverdie, who is awakening after a night of heavy gambling, having lost a significant portion of his wealth. His friend Alphonse de Linières enters, concerned for his well-being, as the comte's recklessness has led him into dire financial straits. While René appears somewhat indifferent to his losses, Alphonse is deeply troubled by the implications of such a lifestyle. Their conversation reveals the contrast between their characters: René, carefree and impulsive, and Alphonse, practical and reserved. Soon, René drops a surprising revelation about pursuing a marriage that promises a way out of his predicament, introducing Gabrielle Duriez into the narrative as the key to his hopes for redemption and stability.