<p>Honoré de Balzac's 'The Girl with the Golden Eyes' is an arresting tale that delves into the lustrous facade and culture of 19th-century Parisian society with its manifold vices. This novella, an intricate piece of Balzac's lauded 'History of the Thirteen' sequence, traverses the tortuous pathways of desire and corruption through its examination of Henri de Marsay's hedonistic odyssey. With a prose that marries sharp psychological insight with...