The Green Eyes

In The Green Eyes (1872) young Albert Dumesnil wonders if the soul of his recently departed uncle has not reincarnated itself in the old man’s cat, Freyschutz. The text is carefully ambiguous in its presentation of the narrator’s account, always leaving open the possibility that the strange circumstances are the results of obsessive delusion and hallucination. The Green Eyes has a casual verve that sets it apart from other contemporary exercises in the same genre. Also included are The Terrible Nights (1821), three stories which combine both lewd and horrific elements in a strident and successful fashion. Saint-Georges’ talent as one of the most consummate playwrights of his times has helped to maintain the readability of these stories in an age where horror-comedy is a prolific and much appreciated genre.