"Fear, greed, misery and corruption coexisted in the square." P109

Kessel first book published in 1923 is seven stories are passing into the new Soviet and communist Russia denouncing us in their own way the sordid that the new order imposed on its population, be it that of a ten year old girl who had to leave the comfort inherent in its noble middle to finish in the street to sell his young body coarse and rich men or bad blood murdered child who returns to her mother who must protect a new denunciation a terrible act or a simple soldier executioner who becomes able to afford a woman who will eventually come face to her ... Kessel with its simple style, clear, bright and that hits moves us by describing us the beginnings of a regime which returned values ​​but leaving in place an incredible corruption, a new misery in addition to old, new injustice ... Kessel is an amazing clairvoyance but it is especially a great storyteller who knows us touch.

"It was an autumn evening rainy. In the sky where the light still held, the moon showed a sweaty face. A moist breath passing in the birches already dressed in night on the fields and on the soft road. In the distance, the little town is thronged in the dark without lights. " p87