The short novel is part of Balzac’s large cycle La Comédie humaine, within the section “Scenes from Private Life.” The story follows an elderly vicomtesse whose relatives try to have her declared incapable in order to take control of her property. Lawyer Derville investigates the case and realizes that behind the legal procedures lie deceit and greed. Through this story, Balzac shows how easily a vulnerable person can be deprived of freedom or the benefit of others.
