The Child of Pleasure

"The Child of Pleasure" by Gabriele D'Annunzio is a novel written in 1889. Andrea Sperelli, a young Roman nobleman and aesthete, lives for art and the pursuit of pleasure. He finds himself caught between two women who represent opposing ideals: Elena Muti, a mysterious femme fatale, and Maria Ferres, pure and fragile. As Andrea attempts to possess both, his "double game" leads him toward inevitable ruin in this cornerstone work of Italian Decadentism.

The Child of Pleasure, by Gabriele D'Annunzio. Republished by OpenStories from Project Gutenberg eBook #20015.