On January 9, 1836, murderer and robber Pierre Lacenaire is executed by guillotine. He hands over to the police inspector Allard a memoir he penned while on death row. Allard is also asked to look after Hermine, a young lady for whom he has served as guardian for almost ten years. We see Lacenaire's childhood as he stands up to bullies, including priests, his youth as he steals, his first murder, his brief army career, his seduction of a princess, and his affair with Avril, a young man who dies beside him, all in flashbacks from the prison as Lacenaire writes, from Allard's study as he and Hermine read, and from the memory of other readers after the book is published.
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On January 9, 1836, murderer and robber Pierre Lacenaire is executed by guillotine. He hands over to the police inspector Allard a memoir he penned while on death row. Allard is also asked to look after Hermine, a young lady for whom he has served as guardian for almost ten years. We see Lacenaire's childhood as he stands up to bullies, including priests, his youth as he steals, his first murder, his brief army career, his seduction of a princess, and his affair with Avril, a young man who dies beside him, all in flashbacks from the prison as Lacenaire writes, from Allard's study as he and Hermine read, and from the memory of other readers after the book is published.
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