La Grenadiere

'La Grenadière' is a short story authored by Honoré de Balzac. La Grenadière is the name of a farm house overlooking the Loire at Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire near Tours. A woman named Madame Willemsens comes to rent the house, and stays there with her two young sons Louis Gaston and Marie Gaston, and her elderly servant Annette. Her past life is not explained. She reveals to her older son, 13 year old Louis that she is terminally ill. The family then spend the last few months of her life trying to enjoy their life and their idyllic surroundings. Louis also dedicates himself to study, particularly mathematics, as he plans to join the navy in order to support himself and his brother.