The Elegant Criminal
Pierre Lacenaire, a criminal who had committed murder and theft, was executed by guillotine on January 9, 1836. He shares his life narrative with Allard, a police investigator, which he had written down while he was waiting to be executed. In addition to this, he requests that Allard look after Hermine, a young lady for whom he has been Hermine's guardian for more than ten years. In flashbacks, we see Lacenaire's childhood as he stands up to bullies, including priests, his youth as he steals, his first murder, his brief army career, his seduction of a princess, and his affair with Avril, a young man who dies beside him. These flashbacks come from the prison as Lacenaire writes, from Allard's study as he and Hermine read, and from the memories of other readers after the book is published.