Jeanine’s Ascent and Louise’s Exclusion

This flow follows Jeanine’s transformation from a young arrival in Paris into a wealthy bride, alongside her increasingly distant relationship with Louise.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

A New Arrival from Lyons

A New Arrival from Lyons The Move to Paris Jeanine Armenieu leaves Lyons at seventeen and goes to live with her aunt, Mademoiselle Poré, on Rue de Chemin Vert. She wants a life of her own, and her aunt helps her find work in a shop. Ambition in View Jeanine is not content to remain a shop assistant. Her aunt and neighbors see her as determined to find a rich man, a goal that will guide how she learns to navigate Paris.

A Hidden Friend

A Hidden Friend Shelter Under the Bed Jeanine secretly lets Louise into her aunt’s flat after Louise runs out of money. Louise hides beneath Jeanine’s bed, sometimes for hours, so Mademoiselle Poré will not discover her. A Burden and a Bond The arrangement begins as an act of loyalty but places Louise in a humiliating dependence. When the deception is uncovered, Jeanine’s aunt throws Louise out and their friendship carries the strain of secrecy and need.

Learning the City

Learning the City Social Adaptation Jeanine learns how to dress for different places and how to read the men who invite her out. She moves from a shop job toward relationships that promise security and access to wealth. A Growing Divide Louise cannot keep pace with Jeanine’s ambition and social ease. They continue sharing space for a time, but their friendship becomes unequal: one is advancing through calculated choices while the other remains caught in unstable work.

The Departure without an Address

The Departure without an Address A Deliberate Exit Jeanine leaves the shared apartment while Louise is away, taking her luggage and withholding her new address. She has become involved with Marco Santoni and wants to avoid being drawn back into responsibility for her friend. A Friendship Cut Short Louise returns to find the practical support gone. Jeanine’s departure is not simply a move to a better life; it is a break that leaves Louise without the person who first helped her survive in Paris.

A Bride at the Reception

A Bride at the Reception Success on Display Jeanine marries Marco Santoni and celebrates in a hired nightclub. The reception embodies the social ascent she once pursued, placing her among guests and surroundings far removed from her earlier life with Louise. An Uneasy Encounter Louise finds her at the party seeking money and help. Jeanine gives her cash but remains reserved; their brief exchange reveals that prosperity has not restored the intimacy or trust they once shared.

About four years before the murder

During Jeanine’s first months in Paris

In the years before she meets Marco Santoni

About six months before the wedding

The night of the wedding