The Eight Strokes of the Clock · Character
Madame Astaing
A watchful wife whose composed grace and too-prominent chin betray a private sorrow, she becomes the still center of Rénine's suspicions at the seaside casino.
supporting
Also known as Madame d’Ormeval
First appearance: v th r se and germaine
As a supporting figure in The Eight Strokes of the Clock, Madame Astaing is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
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Madame d'Ormeval — Thérèse to her husband — moves through the Hôtel Hauville as one half of a couple everyone calls perfectly happy, writing letters while Jacques reads his papers in a rented cabin by the cliff. Yet her…
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See Madame Astaing in v th r se and germaineCharacter Web
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Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Extended family and associates
- De Gorne household staff
- Protagonist
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Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Climax.
- Setup
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
In this excerpt, the emotional and psychological peak occurs when Hortense and Prince Rénine reveal the stakes…
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