The Test

Retired merchant Monsieur Bondel has settled in the quiet town of Saint-Germain together with his wife, where he looks forward to a peaceful retirement together.

The move is not quite the success he hopes for, as, without occupation, the couple argues constantly. When Bondel makes the acquaintance of a neighbour, Madame Bondel is enraged, and the couple has their most intense argument yet.

A gripping short story from the famous French author Guy de Maupassant, about family, love, trust, and adultery.



Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893) was a French author, best known for his mastery of short stories. Born in Dieppe, Maupassant went on to study Law in Paris. His education was interrupted by the outbreak of the Franco-German War, for which he volunteered - the experience of which would go on to influence much of his writing.

Best known for his naturalist style, Maupassant was a protégé of fellow French author Gustave Flaubert, who introduced him to some of the most influential writers of the time, including Henry James and Ivan Turgenev.

Some of Maupassant’s best-known works include the short story ‘Boule de Suif’, and the novels ‘Bel-Ami’ and ‘Une Vie’. He died in Paris in 1893 at the age of 42.