Unconscious Comedians

One doesn't frequently associate Balzac with humor, but stories like The Unconscious Comedians can make one change one's mind. Palafox Gazonal, a weaver, arrives in Paris for the settlement of an important lawsuit. While there his cousin, Leon de Lora the painter, and Bixiou the caricaturist take him "out on the town." This story contains many short sketches including Madame Fontaine who tells fortunes with the aid of a giant toad, Aztaroth, and a black chicken, Cleopatra.