History of the thirteen

History of the Thirteen is a set of three short novels by Honoré de Balzac—Ferragus, The Duchess de Langeais, and The Girl with the Golden Eyes—that revolve around a powerful and secretive society of thirteen men who operate above the law in Paris.

The stories explore themes of desire, love, betrayal, and the complex social dynamics of 19th-century France.

Ferragus tells a tragic love story involving suspicion and misunderstanding; The Duchess de Langeais depicts the anguish of a society coquette and a soldier; and The Girl with the Golden Eyes offers a frank look at desire and sexuality.

Together, these novellas provide a foundation for Balzac's later portrayals of Parisian life in his great novel cycle, La Comédie humaine.