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G**L
Fine collection. And regarding one of the novels, once read, Woman and Puppet will never be forgotten
These collected works of French fin-de-siècle author Pierre Louÿs (1870-1925) translated by Mitchell S. Buck includes ‘Woman and Puppet’, a classic tale of obsessive love, once read, will never be forgotten. This short novel about Spanish aristocrat Don Mateo’s infatuation with Conchita, a young, beautiful Andalusian singer and dancer was first published in 1898 and served as the inspiration for the 1970s film ‘That Obscure Object of Desire’ where director Luis Buñuel famously cast two actresses in the role of Conchita.Initially I intended taking my time with this novel, reading slowly chapter by chapter over the course of a week’s vacation. But after the first several pages I became so absorbed with Don Mateo’s obsession with Conchita I couldn’t put the book down and finished reading in one afternoon. Why was this story so incredibly compelling? The answer revolves around Pierre Louÿs's delicate use of language, his subtle eroticism and his keen understanding of human psychology.The novel begins with André, a Parisian, visiting the Spanish city of Seville during carnival; he has a brief exchange with an alluring young lady passing in her carriage. A rendezvous is set. A few days later, killing time wandering the streets before said rendezvous, André encounters Don Mateo, a previous acquaintance, and accepts his offer of conversation over a cigar and refreshing drinks back at Mateo’s hacienda. Once seated, the men exchange words and then, feeling a twinge of excitement, André asks Don Mateo if he knows Dona Concepcion Garcia, the young woman he plans meeting. Once the Spaniard is told the alluring young lady of André's rendezvous is none other than the person who changed his life forever, the conversation takes a somber, serious tone. From this point right up until the last pages, we listen along with André as Don Mateo recounts his heart-wrenching tale of obsession, frustration and outrage.How did it all start? Don Mateo tells André of his first two rather insubstantial brushing with Conchita before going to her apartment where she lived with her mother. Upon leaving, he gladly gave the poor mother and daughter some bills and coins. He was subsequently invited back and returned the next morning and found the mother at market and only Conchita at home. No sooner did he take a seat in an arm chair then Conchita sat on his knees and placed her two hands on his shoulders. Then, it happened. We read, “Instinctively, I had closed my arms about her and with one hand pulled toward me her dear face, which had become serious; but she anticipated my gesture and vivaciously placed her burning mouth on mind, looking at me deeply. Changeable and incomprehensible, I have always known her thus. The suddenness of her tenderness went to my head like a drink. I squeezed her still tighter. Her body yielded to my arm. I felt the heat and rounded form of her legs through the skirt. She got up.”Although returning to the apartment on an almost daily basis, this is the only physical contact Don Mateo had for weeks. But such was the power of this young, vivacious beauty – simply the promise of future contact was enough to hold him like a vice-grip. And squeeze. Don Mateo tells of all of the various ways Conchita would squeeze the emotion out of him, the money out of him and all happiness out of him. Many times Conchita promised passionate embraces and each and every time there was a reason not to embrace. Don Mateo is driven mad.Over the course of many months Don Mateo and Conchita play their parts in this melodrama, Conchita leaving for another city, Don Mateo following. And when Don Mateo finally has had enough and doesn’t return to Conchita, then Conchita suddenly pays a visit to Don Mateo. And tells him the fault for any lack of physical contact is entirely his. Don Mateo is driven not only mad but raving mad. But he holds all of his ravings to himself and simply, through tears, acknowledges the truth of Conchita’s words,In desperation, Don Mateo seeks out the company and pleasure of another woman. He finds a large, muscular Italian dancer who is more than willing to go to bed with him and satisfy him in any way. But this lust-fest doesn’t even come close to satisfying his desires and taking away his suffering. Regretfully, he admits to himself there is only one woman in his life. Ah, Don Mateo, such is the power of human obsession!Don Mateo returns again and again to his Conchita. There is one scene where he finds her in an upper room dancing the flamingo nude for two Englishmen. We read, “Alas! My God! Never had I seen her so beautiful! It was no longer a question of her eyes or her fingers; all her body was as expressive as a face, more than a face; and her head, enveloped in hair, rested on her shoulders like a useless thing. There were smiles in the folds of her hips, blushing cheeks when she turned her flanks; her breasts seemed to look forward through two great eyes, fixed and dark. Never have I seen her so beautiful. . . . I saw the gestures, the shivers, the movements of the arms, the legs, of the supple body and the muscular loins, born indefinitely from a visible source, the very center of her dance, the little brown belly.”You will have to pick up the book to find out what happens next. But, back on Lous Buñuel’s fine film: considering the sensual power, sheer energy and chameleon-like changeability of this Spanish beauty, this object of Don Mateo’s obsessive desire, Buñuel was spot-on to cast two sunning young actresses for the role of Conchita. Again, one read, this Pierre Louÿs tale will never be forgotten.