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Young Alcide accidentally discovers the Countess Gamiani in bed with another woman. When he is discovered, he comes out of hiding to join them in bed, initiating a lengthy scene of debauchery. Between their lustful embraces, the women tell stories of love too sensational to be fiction. Gamiani, or Two Passionate Nights is a novel by Alfred de Musset.
About the author
Alfred de Musset (1810-1857) was a French poet, novelist, and dramatist. Born in Paris, he was raised in an upper-class family. Gifted from a young age, he showed an early interest in acting and storytelling and excelled as a student at the Lycée Henri-IV. After trying his hand at careers in law, art, and medicine, de Musset published his debut collection of poems to widespread acclaim. Recognized as a pioneering Romanticist, de Musset would base his most famous work,
The Confession of a Child of the Century (1836), on his two-year love affair with French novelist George Sand. Although published anonymously, de Musset has also been identified as the author of
Gamiani, or Two Nights of Excess (1833), a lesbian erotic novel. Believed to have been inspired by Sand, who dressed in men's attire and pursued relationships with men and women throughout her life,
Gamiani, or Two Passionate Nights was an immediate bestseller in France.
Summary
Gamiani, or Two Passionate Nights (1833) is a novel by Alfred de Musset. Published anonymously to widespread controversy and commercial success, de Musset’s lesbian erotic novel was inspired by his own heated affair with George Sand, a French novelist who pursued relationships with men and women throughout her life. Attending a dance at the opulent home of the Countess Gamiani, Alcide hears a rumor about his hostess’ sexual appetites. Intrigued, he remains behind after the guests have left, hoping to join her for a romantic tryst: “I made up my mind to watch her that night, to conceal myself somewhere in her bedroom. The glass door of her dressing room faced the bed. I knew that. I realised at once the advantage of that spot; and hiding between dresses hung up, so that I could see unseen, I resolved to patiently await the orgy.” Finding her in bed with a young woman named Fanny, Alcide soon makes his presence known. Between scenes of intense passion, the women share stories of sexual escapades between men, women, priests, nuns, and animals. Gamiani, or Two Passionate Nights is a masterpiece of erotic fiction that remains an object of interest to scholars of queer representation in the history of art. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Alfred de Musset’s Gamiani, or Two Passionate Nights is a classic work of erotic literature reimagined for modern readers.
