Continuation of Consuelo: Countess Rudolstadt

At the end of his novel "Consuelo" George Sand made a genius for those times advertising move. She wrote about how, That anyone who wants to know the fate of the heroine, as well as what happened to Count Albert after his death, can not guess at the coffee grounds, but simply read the next novel called "Countess Rudolstadt." For those who have forgotten the content a bit, we remind you that at the end of the first book, Consuelo secretly married Count Albert, after which he died, and the newly-made widow, vowing to keep secret the circumstances of her marriage, went, as they say now, to continue her musical career .

"Countess Rudolstadt" - the book is quite voluminous, although smaller than Consuelo, but it will take a long time to read it. In addition, it is heavily overloaded with philosophical reasoning on the topic of good and evil, and many pages are devoted to the Masonic movement. And to isolate from this sea of information the love line, which most readers are interested in, is quite problematic. So those who are interested in the story itself, rather than the numerous deviations from it, we propose to read its abbreviated version.

Summary

"Countess Rudolstadt" begins with the performance of Consuelo in the Berlin opera. She is fond of, in the first place, King Frederick, well, and after him and the public. Everything would be just great, but our heroine is constantly haunted by the ghost of her deceased husband. He flashes in the palace, makes his way to the theater during the performance, bringing the singer to a nervous breakdown. Being in poor health, she receives a letter from her friend Baron von Trenc who asks her to convey the news from him to her lover - the sister of King Frederick to Princess Amalia. Faithful friendship, Consuelo comes to the princess and receives from that invitation to a friendly "mezhdusoboychik." During a pleasant dinner in a tight and warm company, she is surprised to learn from the princess that her secret is not so secret as she thought. Present at the death of Albert, the doctor blabbed about the wedding, and the princess is aware that with her at the table there is not just a simple singer Porporina, but Countess Rudolstadt.

King Frederick learned of this private meeting and wanted to find out from our heroine details, and after receiving a firm refusal, decided the matter simply - he planted Consuelo in jail and forgot about it. But the Countess Rudolstadt did not remain without help - she was rescued from captivity by a mysterious stranger, whose face she had never seen, since it was constantly covered with a mask. A young girl, a mysterious savior ... well, how can you resist and fall in love? So Consuelo could not resist - she gave her heart to a stranger in a mask.

After a rather short time after the escape, they inform her that she is not a widow at all, and her husband is alive. The fact is that the count did not die at all, but fell into a lethargic dream, which the ignorant physician who attended this event accepted for death. Albert's mother, who knew that the son had inherited a penchant for lethargy from her, secretly stole her son and thereby saved his life. Why secretly? But the fact is that the old countess Rudolstadt was officially considered deceased for a long time, although in fact she was not only quite well, but she also held a rather high post in the Masonic lodge. Consuelo, having talked with his mother-in-law, and having learned from her that Albert is practically at the head of the lodge, also decides to join Masonry and forget about his criminal love, having remained a faithful wife.

But how can a count, who is noble and generous, accept such a sacrifice from his wife? In no event - he gives his wife complete freedom of action and love. Corrupted by contradictory feelings, the poor woman is rushing between duty and love, but then fate itself comes to her rescue. A mysterious stranger removes the mask and ... turns out to be Albert. She fell in love with her own legal wife. It would seem that this could be the point, but not George Sand. The happy ending of the novel is too fresh and boring, because a singer and aristocrat with an elevated soul can not live peacefully in their ancient castle. Albert decides to announce that he is alive, and this decision ends sadly.

Epilogue

Our Countess Rudolstadt loses her voice when she learns that her husband was recognized not as a count, but as an impostor, and imprisoned. Its further fate, according to the author, is lost in the darkness of uncertainty. However, the echo of the fate of the heroes still comes to the reader. He, the reader means, meets on the page of the book a large-scale wandering family headed by a holy hermit. The old man is accompanied by his wife, whom the surrounding peasants call "The Gypsy Consoler," and with them almost always is the half-crazy old Zdenko. It all comes together - this is Consuelo with her beloved husband. They are happy, wandering from village to village, surrounded by the care and love of local peasants.