I think that the alternate title for this short story/novella - "The False Mistress" (or sometimes "The Imaginary Mistress") - is better both in terms of the story and in terms of translation from the original French La Fausse Maitresse.

This story deals with two close friends, Poles in exile living in France, one of whom, Adam, Count Laginski, marries Clemetine, a French noblewoman. The other friend, Paz, falls in love with his friend's wife and in order to preserve his friendship with Adam and to avoid possible temptation when he suspects Clementine might not be adverse to an affair, he sets up a circus performer as his mistress by setting her up in an apartment & giving her money once a week (but without having "relations" with her).

I liked the way Paz dealt with the situation & the way he saw through both Adam & Clementine without losing his affection for them. ( )

I think that the alternate title for this short story/novella - "The False Mistress" (or sometimes "The Imaginary Mistress") - is better both in terms of the story and in terms of translation from the original French La Fausse Maitresse.

This story deals with two close friends, Poles in exile living in France, one of whom, Adam, Count Laginski, marries Clemetine, a French noblewoman. The other friend, Paz, falls in love with his friend's wife and in order to preserve his friendship with Adam and to avoid possible temptation when he suspects Clementine might not be adverse to an affair, he sets up a circus performer as his mistress by setting her up in an apartment & giving her money once a week (but without having "relations" with her).

I liked the way Paz dealt with the situation & the way he saw through both Adam & Clementine without losing his affection for them. ( )

Tombé sous le charme de Clémentine Laginska, la femme de son meilleur ami, le comte Thaddée Paz n'a pas d'autre solution que de s'inventer une maîtresse pour ne pas succomber à la tentation...