DON'T TOUCH THE AXE (Ne touchez pas la hache)

Handsome young general Armand de Montriveau has searched across the seasfor the woman he fell madly in love with five years ago. He finally finds Antoinette, the Duchess of Langeais, living chastely in a Majorcan convent… It was love at first sight for Montriveau upon meeting Antoinette, a married co- quette who frequents the most extra- vagant balls of 1820s Restoration Paris, where hypocrisy and vanity reign. Flattered by his attentions, the alluring Antoinette orchestrates a calculating game of seduction, but she repeatedly refuses Montriveau. Despite his sincere romantic declarations, Montriveau's passion remains unfulfilled. When the humiliated Montriveau eventually seeks his revenge, An- toinette's love awakens. But it may well be too late for the starcrossed lovers.