BellefleurA wealthy and notorious clan, the Bellefleurs live in a region not unlike the Adirondacks, in an enormous mansion on the shores of mythic Lake Noir. They own vast lands and profitable businesses, they employ their neighbors, and they influence the government. A prolific and eccentric group, they include several millionaires; a mass murderer; a spiritual seeker who climbs into the mountains looking for God; a wealthy noctambulist who dies of a chicken scratch; a baby, Germaine - the heroine of the novel - and her parents, Leah and Gideon. Written with a voluptuousness and immediacy unusual even for Oates, "Bellefleur" is widely regarded as one of her masterworks. |
Contents
The Arrival of Mahalaleel | 3 |
The Pond | 18 |
The Bellefleur Curse | 29 |
Copyright | |
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arms asked aunt Aveline baby beautiful began Bellefleur Manor breath Bromwell brother Bushkill's Ferry castle Chattaroy child Christabel Cornelia course cousin creature creek cried dark Ewan eyes face father feet fingers forehead Fuhr Garnet Garth gazing Germaine Germaine's Gideon Bellefleur girl grandfather Noel hair hand head heard Henofer Hepatica horses Innisfail Jean-Pierre Bellefleur Jedediah Joyce Carol Oates Jupiter knees knew Lake Noir Lamentations of Jeremiah laughed Leah Leah's lefleurs legs lips Little Goldie looked Lord Dunraven Louis Mahalaleel marriage Mink Creek morning mother Mount Blanc mountain murmured Nautauga never Nicholas night once perhaps pond poor Powhatassie Raphael Bellefleur Samuel screamed seemed shoulders shouted silly simply skin smile sometimes stallion staring suddenly tears things thought tiny Tirpitz turned Turquoise Room Varrell Vernon voice whispered wife woman Yolande young