Love in a Mask; Or, Imprudence and Happiness

"Love in a Mask" by Honoré de Balzac is a romance novel. The story revolves around a young charming Sixth Horse captain, Léon de Préval. One night, while attending a ball on Mardi Gras eve, he meets a well-dressed masked woman. She turns out to be a recent widow who's enjoying her freedom. The woman has a bad experience in married life. Léon tries to uncover her identity, but she won't let him. The two decide to meet a second time but the woman is again in a mask. For the third time, she agrees to meet one more time but only if he fulfills her conditions…