Shagreen leather summary by chapter. Honore Balzac - pebbled leather. Raphael de Valentine's last wish

"Shagreen leather"- novel . Dedicated to the problem of the collision of an inexperienced person with a society teeming with vices.

"Shagreen leather" summary by chapter

Mascot

The young man, Rafael de Valentin, is poor. Education has given him little, he is not able to provide for himself. He wants to commit suicide, and, waiting for the right moment (he decides to die at night, throwing himself off the bridge into the Seine), he enters an antiquities shop, where the old owner shows him an amazing talisman - shagreen leather. On the inside of the talisman, signs in "Sanskrit" are squeezed out; the translation reads:

Possessing me, you will possess everything, but your life will belong to me. So please God. Wish - and your desires will be fulfilled. However, measure your desires with your life. She is here. With every desire, I will decrease, like your days. Do you want to own me? Take it. God will hear you. May it be so!

Thus, any desire of Rafael will be fulfilled, but for this, his life time will also be reduced. Raphael entered into an agreement with an old antiquary (the motive for a deal with the devil, a connection with Goethe's Faust), who saved his strength all his life, depriving himself of desires and passions and wished him to fall in love with a young dancer.

The hero decides to arrange an orgy (the skin shrinks to such a size that you can put it in your pocket when folded).

He leaves the shop and meets friends. His friend, the journalist Emil, encourages Rafael to head a wealthy newspaper and informs him that he has been invited to the celebration of its establishment. Rafael sees this as a coincidence, but not a miracle. The feast really corresponds to all his desires. He confesses to Emil that a few hours ago he was ready to throw himself into the Seine. Emil asks Rafael about what made him decide to commit suicide.

Woman without a heart

Rafael tells the story of his life.

The hero was brought up in severity. His father was a nobleman from the south of France. At the end of the reign of Louis XVI he came to Paris, where he quickly made a fortune. The revolution ruined it. However, during the Empire, he again achieved fame and fortune, thanks to his wife's dowry. The fall of Napoleon was a tragedy for him, because he bought up land on the border of the empire, which has now gone to other countries. Long trial, into which he also dragged his son - the future doctor of law - ended in 1825, when Mr. de Ville "dug out" the imperial decree on the loss of rights. Ten months later, my father died. Rafael sold all his property and was left with an amount of 1120 francs.

He decides to live a quiet life in the attic of a beggarly hotel in a remote quarter of Paris. The hostess of the hotel, Madame Godin, lost her husband, a baron, in India. She believes that someday he will return, fabulously rich. Polina - her daughter - falls in love with Rafael, but he does not know about it. He devotes his entire life to working on two things: comedy and the scientific treatise The Theory of Will.

One day he meets young Rastignac on the street. He offers him a way to quickly get rich through marriage. There is one woman in the world - Theodora - fabulously beautiful and rich. But she does not love anyone and does not even want to hear about marriage. Raphael falls in love, begins to spend all the money on courtship. Theodora is unaware of his poverty. Rastignac introduces Raphael to Fino, a man who offers to write a fake memoir of his grandmother, offering him big money. Rafael agrees. He begins to lead a broken life: he leaves the hotel, rents and furnishes the house; every day he is in society ... but he still loves Theodora. Deep in debt, he goes to a gambling house where Rastignac was once lucky enough to win 27,000 francs, loses the last Napoleon and wants to drown himself.

This is where the story ends.

Raphael remembers the pebbled leather in his pocket. As a joke, to prove his power to Emil, he asks for two hundred thousand francs of income. Along the way, they take measurements - they put the skin on a napkin, and Emil circles the edges of the talisman with ink. Everyone falls asleep. The next morning, the lawyer Cardo comes and announces that Raphael's rich uncle died in Calcutta, who had no other heirs. Raphael jumps up, checking his skin with a napkin. The skin has shrunk! He is horrified. Emil declares that Raphael can grant any wish. All half-serious, half-jokingly make applications. Raphael doesn't listen to anyone. He is rich, but at the same time almost dead. The talisman works!

Agony

Beginning of December. Raphael lives in a luxurious house. Everything is arranged so as not to utter words wish, want etc. On the wall in front of him there is always a framed shagreen paper, circled in ink.

To Raphael - an influential person - comes former teacher Mr Porrique. He asks to secure for him a position as an inspector at a provincial college. Raphael accidentally says in a conversation: "I sincerely wish ...". Skin tightens, he screams with rage at Porik; his life hangs in the balance.

Raphael goes to the theater and meets Polina there. She is rich - her father has returned, and with a large fortune. They see each other in Madame Godin's former hotel, in the same old attic. Raphael is in love. Polina admits that she has always loved him. They decide to get married. Arriving home, Raphael finds a way to deal with the shagreen: he throws the skin into the well.

End of February. Rafael and Polina live together. One morning a gardener comes, having caught shagreen in the well. She became very small. Rafael is desperate. He goes to the learned men, but everything is useless: the naturalist Lavril reads him a whole lecture on the origin of donkey skin, but he cannot stretch it; the mechanic Tablet puts her in a hydraulic press, which breaks; the chemist Baron Jafe cannot break it down with any substances.

Polina notices signs of consumption in Rafael. He calls Horace Bianchon - his friend, a young doctor - he convenes a council. Every doctor has his own scientific theory, they all unanimously advise to go to the waters, put leeches on the stomach and breathe fresh air. However, they cannot determine the cause of his illness. Rafael leaves for Aix, where he is mistreated. He is avoided and almost to his face they say that "since a person is so sick, he should not go to the water." An encounter with the cruelty of secular treatment led to a duel with one of the brave brave men. Raphael killed his opponent, and the skin shrank again. After making sure that he is dying, he returns to Paris, where he continues to hide from Polina, putting himself into a state of artificial sleep in order to stretch it out longer, but she finds him. At the sight of her, he lights up with desire, rushes at her. The girl runs away in horror, and Rafael finds Polina half-dressed - she scratched her chest and tried to suffocate herself with a shawl. The girl thought that if she dies, she will leave the life of her lover. The main character's life is cut short.

Epilogue

In the epilogue, Balzac makes it clear that he does not want to describe Pauline's further earthly path. In a symbolic description, he calls her either a flower blooming in flames, or an angel who comes in a dream, or the ghost of the Lady, depicted by Antoine de la Salle. This ghost, as it were, wants to protect his country from the invasion of modernity. Speaking of Theodore, Balzac notes that she is everywhere, as she personifies secular society.

Gambling establishment in Paris. Approximately 1829. A young man appears, who loses the last gold coin in gambling. This fact makes him very sad, so he decides to take his own life. But first, he sets off to wander aimlessly around the capital of France.

In the end, his wanderings ended in the antiquities shop, which has a great variety of various artifacts. The young man admires them until sunset. After that, the curator of antiquities shows a picture in which the Lord is depicted. This picture has a huge impact on the hero.

A conversation ensues, during which the young man tells the keeper about his plight, about suicidal thoughts, and then the keeper offers his help in resolving this difficult issue. He gives the young man possession of shagreen leather. The young man thanks the old man and goes out into the street. And there he is waiting for a meeting with friends.

To begin with, the Young Man goes to dinner with friends at the bank holder's. He attracts young people with his progressive views on power and life. Dinner is over, and the young people pass into the hall, where there are a great many girls. On the one hand, each of them is an angel, on the other, Satan ... And it is impossible to figure out who is who until you get in touch with her, so charming and desirable ...

Woman without a heart

Main character named Rafael tells the story of his life. He knows about the education of a lawyer, about family strife, about poverty and extreme poverty, and, as a result, the sudden death of his father.

Three years have passed since the above events. Raphael lives like a hermit because his family doesn't need him. He eats very austerely.

While he is studying, he closely converges with the mistress of the room, Madame Godin. He considers her daughter to be his sister.

So he drags out his existence until fate brings him to Rastignac. This man introduces Raphael into high Parisian society, and there follows an acquaintance with a countess who has Russian roots, named Theodora. Rafael falls in love. He takes care of the beauty, spending the last savings. Finally, they explain. Theodora says that she needs Rafael as a true and true friend.

Balzac describes an episode in which Theodora's negative sides are revealed. Namely, the girl needs patronage in front of the Duke of Navarren. Rafael fulfills the request of his beloved and immediately fades into the background for the beauty.

Madame Godin's daughter financially supports Raphael. With this money, he goes with Theodora to the theater. Also, now Raphael is worried about carnal intimate joys, but sexual contact does not happen. Raphael's declaration of love does not bother Theodora at all.

Then Rafael has a suicidal idea. He shares this thought with Rastignac. The protagonist decides to kill himself with passion. To begin with, he is lucky - he wins a large sum of money. And indulges in all serious ...

In the morning, Raphael's wish is fulfilled: from now on, he is the heir to a six millionth fortune.

Agony

Raphael's servant Ionofan meets with his master's teacher. He talks about the oddities of his master both in behavior and in speech. The servant is concerned about this and asks the teacher for help. Meanwhile, shagreen skin is shrinking…

Raphael goes to the theater and meets Godin's daughter there. He wanted the girl to burn with love for him.

So the feeling is mutual. Lovers explain. The girl tells about the events of her difficult life. Young people decide to get married. Meanwhile, shagreen skin is shrinking before our eyes…

The young are happy, but the gardener brings the shagreen leather... After that, a quarrel arises between the lovers.

Rafael gets sick. He coughs incessantly. Doctors cannot determine the cause of his ailment. Then it was decided to send Raphael to the waters. But there he "does not fit" into the local community. Therefore, the result of the conflict is a duel. Rafael changes his place of residence several more times after the fight. Then, in the end, he arrives in the capital of France. But now he's almost dead...

The last intimate scene between Raphael and Godin's daughter. Raphael passed away...

Honore de Balzac "Shagreen leather"

Picture or drawing Balzac - Shagreen leather

main characters

Raphael de Valentin- young, beautiful educated person an impoverished aristocrat.

Other characters

antiquary- the owner of a shop of antiquities, a wise and perspicacious old man.

Pauline- the young daughter of Madame Godin, a kind, sympathetic girl with a loving heart.

Countess Fedora- a young beautiful woman, a socialite, a cold, selfish, indifferent person.

Emile, Rastignac friends of Raphael.

Akilina, Euphrasinia- courtesans.

Banker Typher- a wealthy and influential businessman, owner of an opposition newspaper.

Part I. Talisman

In October 1829, a young man, Raphael de Valantin, entered the gambling hall. All his behavior in the brothel indicated that "he still has the soul of a beginner." Appearance young man was so unhappy, speaking "about fruitless efforts, about a thousand deceived hopes", that he struck even the most dispassionate and deeply indifferent to the grief of others at the gambling establishment. His face, "once pure and lively", was disfigured by the passion that tormented him from the inside, and expressed the desperate determination of a suicide.

Having lost the last gold coin, Raphael began to wander in a daze through the streets of Paris. All his thoughts were consumed by one thing - to end this miserable life by jumping off the Royal Bridge into the Seine. "He decided to die at night," and spent the rest of the day studying beautiful architecture, admiring a pretty woman, and giving alms to the poor.

Finally, Raphael wandered into the antiquities store to ask the price of works of art. For a long time he considered antiquities belonging to different eras. Soon he noticed the owner of the shop - "a lean, thin old man in a black velvet dress."

The astute old man quickly realized that his visitor was in a depressed state. He managed to talk to Rafael, who told him about his intention to end his life due to horrendous poverty.

Wanting to help the young man, the antiquary handed him "a piece of shagreen leather, the size of a fox skin." On the reverse side of it was "an imprint of the seal, which the inhabitants of the East call Solomon's ring", as well as a warning according to which the owner of the skin could possess all the treasures of the world, but he had to pay for it with his life.

The old man admitted that he had never dared to use the amazing pebbled skin. With age, he came to the conclusion that only knowledge can bestow youthfulness of the soul and happiness, and therefore concentrated his life "in the brain that does not decay and survives everything."

Passionately wanting to change his fate, Rafael agreed to become the owner of shagreen leather. The old man also warned that from now on all his "wishes will be fulfilled to the smallest detail", but at the expense of his own life.

The young man grabbed a piece of leather, and ran out of the shop into the street, where he ran into three of his friends. Young people reported that they had been looking for Rafael for a long time, who "as a man of higher abilities" is ideal for the role of an employee of the new newspaper, the opposition government. The young man was stunned not so much by "the fulfillment of his desires, but by the natural way in which events intertwined"

Closest to Raphael was his friend Emil - a journalist, "a bold critic, full of enthusiasm and causticity." He took a friend to dinner with the influential banker Tyfer, the organizer and owner of a bold newspaper, where young, promising artists, writers, and scientists gathered. Over a glass of wine, they talked about politics, talked about the structure of the state.

When the guests, intoxicated and relaxed by the luxurious reception, were already reclining in comfortable armchairs, "suddenly a group of women presented themselves." They were the best, most expensive courtesans in Paris - subtle fakes of well-behaved maidens. Having the appearance of angels in the flesh, inside they hid the most exquisite vice, promising a lot of sensual pleasures. Without a doubt, each of these beautiful girls “could tell some kind of bloody drama” that pushed her onto such an unrighteous path in life.

Emil and Rafael met two beautiful courtesans - Akilina and Euphrasinia. In a conversation with them, young people learned that these charming creatures, despite their youth, had long been disappointed in love and preferred to take from life the maximum that their beauty allowed them.

Part II. Woman without a heart

Rafael decided to tell Emil the story of his life so that his friend could understand the reason for his suffering and mental anguish.

From an early age, Rafael was at the mercy of an overly strict, harsh father, who dreamed of seeing his son as a successful lawyer. As a result, the young man "had to listen to lectures and work for a lawyer." He was afraid, and at the same time he loved his father, who never showed him his parental affection.

Having reached the age of twenty-one, Rafael received some freedom in action. He learned that his father had long sought recognition of the rights to land holdings in Bavaria and Prussia. The future of Rafael depended on this process, and he also actively joined the process. However, the protracted trial ended in ruin for the young man's father, who died ten months later.

By that time, all of Raphael's property "consisted of an inventory of things sold", and his future did not bode well. The origin connected him “with some rich families”, but no one needed the poor young man, and his pride did not allow him to ask for help from wealthier relatives.

He stretched out the funds left to him as an inheritance for three years, eating very meager food. Raphael settled in a cheap hotel, and decided to devote himself to writing a scientific work called "The Theory of Will". All this time he diligently worked day and night, "not allowing himself to taste the joys of Parisian life."

Raphael managed to get close to the owner of the hotel, Madame Godin, who motherly took care of the young man. Her fourteen-year-old daughter Polina "many services that could not be refused." As a sign of gratitude, Rafael began to teach her how to play the piano. The girl proved herself to be a capable and diligent student, and tried her best to please her strict teacher, whom she managed to fall in love with deep down.

However, Rafael did not succumb to the temptation, and did not pay attention to the charms of his charming student - he was used to “look at Polina only as a sister”, and did not even think about getting along with her. In addition, only a luxurious, well-groomed beauty, dressed in silk and velvet, could excite Raphael's feelings - the young man sincerely did not understand "love in poverty".

And one day fate brought Raphael with a similar woman. Thanks to an old friend Rastignac, the young man ended up in high Parisian society, where he met the Countess of Russian origin Fedora. She was "the most beautiful, most charming woman in Paris", mysterious and impregnable. Rastignac told a friend that the countess had a very solid dowry, and advised him not to miss the chance to arrange his life safely.

Behind Fedora, a twenty-two-year-old socialite, there was already a marriage behind her, but she did not have a lover, and many dandies in the capital tried fruitlessly to win her heart. Rafael was no exception, who decided to marry the countess at all costs.

The young scientist had to spend the last of his money in order to be able to appear in a decent form at the receptions of Fedora. Once Valentin was forced to agree to writing false memoirs in order to secure a decent wardrobe. He used his sophisticated mind to seduce the beauty and bind him to himself, but he fell in love very quickly, while Fyodor remained cold and indifferent, like an antique statue.

Unexpectedly, Raphael received a note from the lady of the heart, in which she invited him for a walk. He began to get ready "in a fit of nervous fever", worrying only that he had absolutely no money for a carriage.

Rafael breathed a sigh of relief when he learned that Fyodor decided to take a walk with him through the Luxembourg Gardens. The Countess asked to render her a “quite an important service” - to help with the patronage of the Duke de Navaren, who was Raphael's cousin. Fedor admitted that her condition and position in society depended on this. The young man in love was glad to help, but as soon as he did what was required of him, the countess immediately alienated him from herself.

Gradually, the veil of love fell from Raphael's eyes, and she realized how cold, callous and spiritually poor his chosen one was. However, he dreamed of knowing "this woman in bodily terms". The young man hid in Fedora's bedroom and, waiting for her to fall asleep, admired her serene sleep for a long time. Rafael wanted to “slowly lie down next to her, cuddle up to her and hug her”, but then he changed his mind - he wanted to take possession of her soul much more.

Can't bear the pain anymore unrequited love, Rafael dared to confess to Fedor his feelings. The countess replied that she felt happy only in solitude and did not intend to belong to anyone.

Raphael confessed to Rastignac that he dreamed of committing suicide. A friend dissuaded him of this idea, and offered to play for the last money in a gambling house. Luck smiled at friends - they won a large amount and plunged into a "whirlwind of pleasures, both empty and real." When the money ran out, Raphael went to a gambling house, but lost the last coin and decided to throw himself from the Royal Bridge into the Seine ...

Chapter III. Agony

Raphael's old teacher, Mr. Porique, appeared in the luxurious mansion of his former student to chat with him. From a faithful servant, he learned that "the marquis does not accept anyone", and lives according to a routine once and for all. In addition, he forbade the servants to ask him questions “Would you like to? Would you like to? Would you please?" .

Realizing that the shagreen skin shrank every time after the fulfillment of a wish, Rafael dreamed of "lengthening life at all costs". He turned into a real ascetic, refusing "life in order to live."

Professor Porica still managed to meet Raphael and was stunned when he saw "this young corpse". The old man complained that he "find himself without a job, without a pension and without a piece of bread", and asked the former student to apply for some suitable job. Forgetting the precautions, Raphael wished the teacher good luck with all his heart, and immediately noticed with horror how the precious piece of skin had shriveled.

Once at the Italian Opera, Rafael met Polina, who by that time had turned into a real beauty. He was incredibly surprised by such a change, and demanded from the shagreen skin that the girl fall in love with him, however, “the skin did not move” - she could not fulfill the wish that had already come true.

At the meeting, young people confessed their love to each other. The girl said that her father returned from distant wanderings, she became a rich heiress and has the right to "dispose of her fate" as she pleases. Feeling the "breath of happiness", Raphael proposed to his beloved, and she happily agreed. The happiness of the young man was overshadowed only by shagreen skin, which continued to slowly but surely decrease in size.

Rafael found an experienced zoologist who identified the shagreen flap as the skin of a rare species of donkey - the onager, living exclusively in Persia. The professor of mechanics tried to stretch it under a powerful press, but the dimensions of the skin did not change by a millimeter. The experiments of the famous chemist did not give any result either.

The man was truly frightened when he first "had a terrible fit of coughing", which took all his strength. He began to melt literally before our eyes, and was forced to assemble a council of doctors so that they could "make a verdict: live or die for him." However, none of the "oracles of modern medicine" could not determine the true cause of the deterioration of Valentin's health. As a result, the patient went to improve his health on the water.

Climate change did not help Rafael - he continued to be tormented by severe bouts of hysterical prolonged coughing. In addition, he was not accepted by the local society, and once he was forced to accept the challenge and kill the enemy in a duel.

The marquis moved to another place, and his last days were brightened up by picturesque landscapes of wild nature. When the simple villagers, from whom Rafael rented a room, began to openly feel sorry for him, “the very next day he went to Paris”.

Valentin asked for an opium tincture to be prescribed for him to remain "invariably in a sleepy state." Some time later, he showed Polina "a piece of shagreen leather, fragile and small, like a periwinkle leaf", and told about his power over him. Rafael died in the arms of his beloved...

Conclusion

The philosophical novel by Honore de Balzac is devoted to the problem of the collision of a young, pure, unsophisticated person in secular life with a society corrupted by numerous vices, and his subsequent capitulation.

A brief retelling of "Shagreen Skin" is useful for reader's diary and preparation for the lesson of literature.

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Retelling rating

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Honore de Balzac

"Shagreen leather"

Summary

retelling

Mascot

On the first pages of the novel, the reader meets a young man named Raphael de Valentin, who wants to commit suicide. After a series of fiascos in his life, the idea of throwing himself into the Seine seems to him the most successful in this situation. But now it is daytime and the boatmen floating on the river prevent him from doing this. Raphael decides to wander around the city in last time and, with the onset of evening, come back here. He walked past the Louvre and the Academy, then proceeded to the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Palais de Justice. Suddenly, an antique shop came into his field of vision, where they sold miscellaneous items antiquity. A young man wandered into this shop, where he met a fearsome old man.
The shopkeeper sensed the guest's state of mind and offered him the opportunity to resolve his problems. Raphael was presented with a strange piece of shagreen leather engraved with an inscription in Sanskrit. He must take her
with the condition that this talisman will be able to fulfill any desire of the owner, but with each fulfillment of the desire, the skin will decrease, as well as the life of the protagonist. The young man accepts the terms of the strange merchant and leaves. As dusk approaches, Raphael returns to the bridge, but unexpectedly meets with friends. They enthusiastically talk about the creation of a new newspaper and offer him a job in it. Then they all go together to the rich financier Taifer for a party. The evening was attended by a variety of visitors, and the dinner ended surrounded by courtesans.

Woman without a heart

Rafael decides to tell his friend Emil the story of his life. His mother died early, and his father was a very stern and domineering person, he strictly determined the young man's daily routine, the main point in which was studying law and visiting a lawyer. I had to wake up at five in the morning and go to bed at nine. My father was engaged in manipulations with the land and, up to a certain point, everything was not going badly, but with the fall of Napoleon, a lot in the country and in the life of every citizen changed; father's business became unprofitable. After the death of his father, the son received endless debts that completely ruined Raphael. He was able to distribute the remaining funds for some time, significantly saving both on food and housing. He had to live in a meager room in a third-rate hotel. There he was engaged in writing his book, which was supposed to become a bestseller and solve all the financial problems of the author. The owner of the hotel and her daughter Polina, observing the poverty of the young man, helped him in every possible way. In order to thank them, Rafael began to study music with Polina, the girl made progress in playing the piano. The girl was perceived by Rafael exclusively as a sister, because. he could not repay her mother with black ingratitude. However, he not only could not, but also did not want to be Polina more than a brother. He wished for a lady from secular society who goes to balls, to the theater, and besides, she must be rich.

Soon a real secular lady appeared in Raphael's life - Countess Theodora, who had Russian roots. Many young people tried to win her heart, but all attempts werefutile. After meeting the countess, Rafael felt her favor and completely lost his head. What was the disappointment of the young man when Theodora's intentions were revealed - she flirted with Raphael in order to get closer to the Duke of Navarren, who was supposed to solve one of her questions. The young man was broken and broken.

Somehow, he and Rastignac win a significant amount of money at roulette. But the money was not enough for a long time, friends squandered it as quickly as they won. After all these failures, the thought came to Rafael to commit suicide.

As soon as the mysterious skin fell into the hands of Raphael, he wished to have two hundred thousand francs. With the onset of morning, the young man receives news from the notary that he has been left an inheritance by Major O'Flaherty, who died the other day. Valentin immediately took out the shagreen leather and noticed that it had significantly decreased. fulfilled, but the realization of what the price of such fulfillment of desires led him to a state of complete apathy and the absence of any aspirations.

Agony

Having become a rich man, the young man changed his place of residence and now lived in a rich mansion. Now his main headache was to strictly follow his desires. Now any of his dreams or aspirations steadily led to the reduction of the flap of skin.

Once in the theater, Raphael saw an antique dealer who sold him shagreen leather. The old man was with a young courtesan, his appearance was the same as before, but something definitely changed in the old man's eyes. His eyes glowed like a boy's. It turns out the reason for such changes in love, for a moment of which, you can pay with your whole life.

Raphael examined the audience, noticing Theodora, who, as before, was irresistible, he realized that there was no more love and now, at the sight of her external brilliance, he notices only an inner emptiness. Continuing to inspect the visitors to the theater, the young man noticed an unusually beautiful lady and, what was his amazement when Polina turned out to be this secular person. Yes, yes, the same one, Polina, with whom they played the piano in a poor attic.

Now everything in the girl's life has changed. She became rich and now often attends social events. Rafael looked at Theodora and suddenly realized how ugly she was. He was captivated by Polina and realized that this is the woman he loves.

They agreed to meet the next day. The first wish he made in the morning was for Polina to fall in love with him. But, to the surprise of the young man, the flap of skin did not decrease, because it is impossible to fulfill what has already been done.

At the meeting, young people confessed their eternal love to each other. They were happy. Only now Raphael realized how senselessly I made wishes, thereby reducing my life. In a state of indignation, he threw a very small piece of skin into the well and decided to rely on fate.

The following days and weeks were the happiest in the life of Rafael and Polina. They were planning
their weddings, attended social events and, most importantly, wholly belonged to each other, enjoying every day spent together. They were both rich and could afford absolutely everything. It seemed that life was just beginning ... However, one day a gardener approached Rafael and returned a piece of skin thrown into the well.

The young man decides to turn to scientists so that they can stretch the skin or destroy it. But his attempts are in vain. Right now, when the life that until recently Raphael wanted to end, has become the only value for him.

As time goes by, Raphael falls ill. The invited doctors make various diagnoses and advise him to trust nature by going to the waters of Aix.

Polina is the only one who stays with her beloved. When he becomes very ill, he decides to run away to the waters of Aix. He did not stay there long. At the end of his life, he meets Polina, the skin fulfills his desire to be with Polina for the last time and Rafael dies.

In the epilogue, Honore de Balzac does not tell the reader about future fate Polina.