The following version of this short story was used to create the guide: de Maupassant, Guy. "The House of Madame Tellier." The House of Madame Tellier. Pyramid Books, 1956. Pages 7 - 29.

Guy de Maupassant's short story "The House of Madame Tellier" is a third person narrative written in the past tense. The short story is divided into three sections, and follows a primarily linear structure.

In Part I, Madame Tellier's house was frequented by a particular group of men. The men were neither rude nor rough, and held respectable jobs. Some of them also had wives and families.

Madame Tellier originally inherited the house from her uncle. After her husband's death, she continued to maintain the business, as well her reputation in the community. Though other cities in France disparaged such establishments, in this particular village in Normandy, the community respected Madame Tellier and her work.

Madame Tellier had five girls who worked for her. Their names were Fernande, Raphaele, Rosa, Louise, and Flora. Some of them were pretty, and others were unexceptional in their appearance. Though Madame Tellier had always been good to them, she generally considered herself superior to the girls.

One spring evening, the house's primary patrons were shocked to discover Madame Tellier's house closed up and darkened. No one responded when they tried knocking. When they notified the other men, none of them was sure what to do. They wandered aimlessly about the village, quickly getting into arguments and eventually parting ways. Annoyed that his night had been disrupted, one of the men returned to the house, and discovered a note on the window. Madame Tellier's business was temporarily closed because of a confirmation.

In Part II, when Madame Tellier received her brother Joseph Rivet's invitation, she was unsure what to do. Her niece and goddaughter, Constance, was about to be confirmed, and Joseph wanted her to attend. Madame Tellier wanted to go, but was worried about leaving the house and her girls unattended. To avoid possible conflict, she decided to take the girls with her to Virville, where her brother and his family resided.

When they arrived, Joseph met them at the station. He drove them in his cart back to town. The white horse ran fast through fields of flowers, and the girls bounced around in the cart. They arrived at the house hungry and tired.

When they met Constance, all of the women were delighted and showered her with affection. That night, they went to bed early. Rosa was the only girl to sleep alone. Feeling lonely, she ushered Constance, who was afraid, into bed. They slept side by side, and felt comforted.

The next morning, the women all helped Constance dress for the ceremony. During the service, Rosa was overcome by memories and emotion. Her crying soon inspired everyone around her to cry, too. At the end of the service, the priest thanked the women for encouraging the community to participate with such heartfelt expression.

In Part III, the women returned home after a long journey. They had dinner, and dressed for their usual evening of business. Their regular patrons soon arrived, and they all enjoyed a pleasant and celebratory evening together. Madame Tellier was so delighted and in such good spirits, she only charged the men for their champagne.