Rating: ★★★★
08/01/18
The ill-fated adventure that was the life of the poet François Villon (1431-1463?) inspired this short story. Stevenson imagines a bleak and snowy night in Paris and then discusses the concepts of honor, social status and the human instinct to survive.
‘You may still repent and change.’
‘I repent daily,’ said the poet. ‘There are few people more given to repentance than poor Francis. As for change, let somebody change my circumstances. A man must continue to eat, if it were only that he may continue to repent.’
Few words and so much to ponder; art pleasing to the eye.
* Photo credit: Book cover via Goodreads.
I remember you mentioning this story in your Villon review and it caught my attention back then. Even more so now, I thank you for bringing it so concisely and alluringly to our attention. 🙂
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It was good to read Stevenson’s prose again. I hope you enjoy this short story when you get to it. 🙂 Thanks for reading!
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