Shorts from Scenes from Private Life · Character

Augustine Guillaume

A sheltered shopkeeper's daughter whose innocence is bartered in a marriage arranged for business advantage rather than love.

major

Also known as Mademoiselle Augustine Guillaume, Augustine, Mademoiselle Guillaume, poor Augustine

First appearance: At the Sign of the Cat and Racket

As a major figure in Shorts from Scenes from Private Life, Augustine Guillaume is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

The young wife of Théodore de Sommervieux, struggling with her husband's neglect and seeking advice from her family and the Duchess de Carigliano.

In the storyAt the Sign of the Cat and RacketOpen this moment free

See Augustine Guillaume in At the Sign of the Cat and Racket Book page

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Augustine Guillaume grows up behind the counter of her father's prosperous Paris shop, her world bounded by domestic duty and filial obedience. When a suitor of higher social standing is chosen for her, she submits with the passivity of a daughter trained never to question paternal judgment. Her marriage becomes a quiet tragedy of mismatched souls, as her simple devotion meets a husband whose ambitions and tastes lie elsewhere. Her story exposes the human cost of treating marriage as a commercial transaction.

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See Augustine Guillaume in At the Sign of the Cat and Racket

Character Web

40 connections

A slice of how Augustine Guillaume sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Social
Other

Character groups

Parisian social web
Protagonist
Family and pride
Art and marriage

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

In this excerpt, the emotional and psychological peak occurs when the Vicomtesse de Grandlieu directly confron…

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Relationships

Madame de Beauséant
social · positive
Augustine Guillaume is a younger socialite who admires and seeks the approval of the… How this plays out →
Madame de Beauséant
social · positive
Augustine Guillaume is a younger socialite who admires and seeks the approval of the… How this plays out →
Madame de Beauséant
social · positive
Augustine Guillaume is a younger socialite who admires and seeks the approval of the… How this plays out →

Madame de Beauséant
Augustine Guillaume is a younger socialite who admires and seeks the approval of the influential Madame de Beauséant.
Madame de Beauséant
Augustine Guillaume is a younger socialite who admires and seeks the approval of the influential Madame de Beauséant.
Madame de Beauséant
Augustine Guillaume is a younger socialite who admires and seeks the approval of the influential Madame de Beauséant.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Augustine Guillaume in At the Sign of the Cat and Racket

In the story

Augustine Guillaume appears across 1 companion beat. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

At the Sign of the Cat and Racket

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Augustine Guillaume unlock in the free preview.

See Augustine Guillaume in At the Sign of the Cat and Racket