GLR March-April 2026

to Cavalcanti, whom the count has arranged to have arrested during their engagement party. The resulting scandal empties the Danglars household and leaves the family’s attention everywhere ex cept on Eugénie and Louise. Eugénie, seeing the golden opportunity, proposes an escape from France. Louise suggests prudence. In response, Eugénie proclaims: “Hold your tongue! The men are all infamous, and I am happy to be able now to do more than detest them—I despise them.” Her words connect with themes of frustration with men by sapphic women, who see them as in vasive and unwelcome in places like the marital bed. Louise reveals her traveling documents have been provided by the count, indicating that they are for a man. The passport reads: “M. Léon d’Armilly, twenty years of age; profession, artist; hair black, eyes black; travelling with his sister.” With this falsified form in hand, the two quickly pack their assets and bags. Eugénie has always felt trapped in her soci

ety and had a disdain of men who wish to marry or bed her. Although she is civil to the count, she detests the notion of being shackled to a man’s whims and desires, a sentiment common among women throughout history, but especially queer women. Eugénie adds to this her disillusionment with her father’s affairs as a banker: “Oh, I am done with considering! I am tired of hearing only of market reports, of the end of the month, of the rise and fall of Spanish funds, of Haitian bonds. Instead of that, Louise—do you understand?— air, liberty, melody of birds, plains of Lombardy, Venetian canals, Roman palaces, the Bay of Naples.” Bolstered by this, the two continue packing. The reader learns that Eugénie has previously dressed as a man: “From the same drawer [Eugénie] took a man’s complete costume, from the boots to the coat, and a provision of linen, where there was nothing superfluous, but every requisite. Then, with a promptitude which indicated that this was not the first time she had amused herself by adopting the garb of the oppo site sex, Eugénie drew on the boots and pantaloons, tied her cra vat, buttoned her waistcoat up to the throat, and put on a coat which admirably fitted her beautiful figure.” The result is quite fabulous, as Louise confirms: “Oh, that is very good—indeed, it is very good! ... but that beautiful black hair, those magnifi cent braids, which made all the ladies sigh with envy, will they go under a man’s hat like the one I see down there?” To Louise’s dismay, Eugénie shears her hair. Eugénie feels empowered as she does this: “And am I not a hundred times better thus? ... and do you not think me hand somer so?” A dramatic haircut is common in coming-of-age sto ries, but especially in sapphic media, in which many women and girls feel a powerful sense of liberation at styling their hair the way they want it. Eugénie’s preference for short hair and masculine dress also could be seen as casting her in the role of a “butch” lesbian, while Louise’s femininity, fondness for music, and more frivolous nature suggest that she’s more of a “femme.” The gay themes continue from there: “‘Oh, you are

Eugénie and Louise at the piano in the 1846 edition.

beautiful—always beautiful!’ cried Louise. ‘Now, where are you going?’” Eugénie asks: “What are you looking at?” Louise responds: “I am looking at you; indeed you are adorable like that! One would say you were carrying me off.” Inexplicably, the two return one more time in the novel after taking flight, giving them a sendoff together with some subtle pro-lesbian lecturing from Dumas. As in many 19th-century novels, the same few-dozen characters constantly meet each other, no matter how far apart they are or how bizarre the cir cumstances. When Eugénie’s former fiancé Cavalcanti escapes prison and tries hiding in a hotel, he literally falls into the room where she and Louise are sharing a bed. While Cavalcanti tries to persuade the two to hide him, he underestimates their dis dain. “The two ladies, pressing closely to one another, and drawing the bedclothes tightly around them, remained silent to this supplicating voice, repugnance and fear taking possession of their minds.” Though Eugénie relents and offers him a chance to escape, it’s too late, and he’s recaptured by the gen darmes. Louise tells him to get lost, while Eugénie tells him to kill himself. Cavalcanti quickly regains control, however, and exposes the two to the gendarmes: “Have you any message for your fa ther, Mademoiselle Danglars, for in all probability I shall return to Paris? Oh, oh! ... you need not be ashamed, even though you did post after me. Was I not nearly your husband?” News quickly gets out to the other hotel patrons, “leaving the two

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