1905. With a General Introduction to the Series by Gaston Boissier, Secretaire Perpetuel de l'Academie Francaise, a Preface to the Novel by Victor Cherbuliez, of the French Academy, and Illustrations by Adolf Lalauze. Ohnet is the only French novelist whose books have a circulation approaching the works of Daudet and of Zola. An admirer of Georges Sand and vehemently opposed to the realistic modern novel, he began a series of novels, Les Batailles de la vie, about a simple and idealistic character. While panned by the critics, it was extremely popular. The series includes this novel, Serge Panine.