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Châli
Referencing Victor Hugo, author of 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame,' 'Châli' is an equally tragic love story. Admiral de la Vallée tells of the time he was sent to Central India, as part of an expedition. There, he is introduced to the prince, Rajah Maddan, and a host of customs that take him far outside of his comfort zone. The Admiral is presented with a harem but cannot take it upon himself to use the young women as is expected of him. When he gives one of the girls, Châli, a gift, he unwittingly sets a chain of heart-breaking events in motion.'Châli' will delight fans of other tragic love stories such as Shakespeare's ´Romeo and Juliet´ and Emily Brontë's ´Wuthering Heights´. -
- GenresShort Stories
16 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1884
About the author
Guy de Maupassant
7,618 books3,087 followersHenri René Albert Guy de Maupassant was a popular 19th-century French writer. He is one of the fathers of the modern short story. A protege of Flaubert, Maupassant's short stories are characterized by their economy of style and their efficient effortless dénouement. He also wrote six short novels. A number of his stories often denote the futility of war and the innocent civilians who get crushed in it - many are set during the Franco-Prussian War of the 1870s.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 31, 2026
Ուղղելով սխալս` սկսեցի Գի դը Մոպասանի նովելները լսել, ինչ խոսք տխուր էր։ Նովելներն արագ են միշտ ավարտվում և շատ կտրուկ։ Շալին 8 տ աղջնակ էր և այս նովելը ոչ միայն նրա, այլ այդ ժամանակների Հնդկաստանի մասին շատ բան են ասում։ Հեղինակը պատմում է մի լեյտենանտի մասին, ում գործուղել են Հնդկաստան։ Փոքրիկ աղջնակը ստրկուհի էր, ում կյանքը խլում են անհիմն մեղադրանքով
January 18, 2022
Guy de Maupassant's "Chali" is the most disturbing and horrifying story of his thus far on several levels. It makes me wonder if he had known or had the experience with young girls. Others of his time like, Gauguin had young girls as mistresses and that is thoroughly evil. I am sure in the present day, this is occurring and just look at some parts of society looking at making paedophilia, acceptable. The idea of any women being a slave, so terribly sickening but an little girl, is heartbreaking. This story is unforgettable and light should shine on all those dark places of the world and wipe out this abuse.
Story in short- A prince gives a man a harem of young girl under ten years old.
"The prince looked on with ferocious pleasure, uttered grunts of delight, and imitated all their movements with careless gestures, crying out constantly: “Strike, strike hard!” One fell down unconscious, and had to be carried out of the arena, covered with blood, while the rajah uttered a sigh of regret because it was over so soon. He turned to me to know my opinion; I was disgusted, but I congratulated him loudly. He then gave orders that I was to be conducted to Couch-Mahal (the palace of pleasure), where I was to be lodged."
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert ❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
It seems that Chali was the only girl that the narrator had sexual relations, but it is not spelled out. He did not think enough that he should tell others about his gift to her which might have prevented her death. He should have refused the girls and left like he did after hearing about why Chali was killed. It is one thing to go to Rome and do what the Romans do, but if doing something is so wrong to your beliefs and your core, it is necessary to not be a Roman and speak your mind.
"One evening, however, on coming back from a walk, I found Haribada outside the gate of my palace. He told me in mysterious tones that a gift from the king was waiting for me in my room, and he said that his master begged me to excuse him for not having sooner thought of offering me that of which I had been deprived for such a long time. After these obscure remarks the ambassador bowed and withdrew. When I went in I saw six little girls standing against the wall motionless, side-by-side, like smelts on a skewer. The eldest was perhaps ten and the youngest eight years old. For the first moment I could not understand why this girls’ school had taken up its abode in my rooms; then, however, I divined the prince’s delicate attention: he had made me a present of a harem, and had chosen it very young from an excess of generosity. There, the more unripe the fruit is, in the higher estimation it is held. For some time I remained confused and embarrassed, ashamed in the presence of these children, who looked at me with great grave eyes which seemed already to divine what I should want of them. I did not know what to say to them; I felt inclined to send them back; but one cannot return the presents of a prince; it would have been a mortal insult. I was obliged, therefore, to keep them, and to install this troop of children in my rooms. They stood motionless, looking at me, waiting for my orders, trying to read my thoughts in my eyes. Confound such a present! How dreadfully it was in my way. At last, thinking that I must be looking rather ridiculous, I asked the eldest her name. “Châli,” she replied. “What have you come here for?” She replied, in her soft, harmonious voice: “I have come to be altogether at my lord’s disposal, and to do whatever he wishes.” She was evidently quite resigned. I put the same question to the youngest, who answered immediately in her shrill voice: “I am here to do whatever you ask me, my master.” This one was like a little mouse, and was very taking, just as they all were, so I took her in my arms and kissed her. The others made a movement to go away, thinking, no doubt, that I had made my choice; but I ordered them to stay, and sitting down in the Indian fashion, I made them all sit round me, and began to tell them fairy-tales, for I spoke their language tolerably well. They listened very attentively, and trembled, wringing their hands in agony. Poor little things, they were not thinking any longer of the reason why they were sent to me."
"For a week I took the greatest pleasure in acting the papa towards these living dolls. We had capital games of hide-and-seek, puss-in-the-corner, &c., which gave them the greatest pleasure, for every day I taught them a new game, to their intense delight."
"My farewell from Châli was heartrending. She wept, lying beside me, with her head on my breast, shaken with sobs. I did not know how to console her; my kisses were no good. All at once an idea struck me, and getting up I went and got the shell-box, and putting it into her hands, I said, “That is for you; it is yours.” Then I saw her smile at first. Her whole face was lighted up with internal joy, with that profound joy when impossible dreams are suddenly realized, and she embraced me ardently. All the same, she wept bitterly when I bade her a last farewell. I gave paternal kisses and cakes to all the rest of my wives, and then I started."
“Do you know what has become of little Châli, whom the rajah gave me?” He immediately assumed a sad and troubled look, and said, in evident embarrassment: “We had better not speak of her.” “Why? She was a dear little woman.” “She turned out badly, Sir.” “What — Châli? What has become of her? Where is she?”
“I mean to say that she came to a bad end.” “A bad end! Is she dead?” “Yes. She committed a very dreadful action.” I was very much distressed. I felt my heart beat, and my breast was oppressed with grief, and insisted on knowing what she had done and what had happened to her. The man became more and more embarrassed, and murmured, “You had better not ask about it.” “But I want to know.” “She stole— “
“Who — Châli? What did she steal?” “Something that belonged to you.” “To me? What do you mean?” “The day you left she stole that little box which the prince had given you; it was found in her hands.” “What box are you talking about?” “The box covered with shells.” “But I gave it to her.” The Indian looked at me with stupefaction, then replied: “Well, she declared with the most sacred oaths that you had given it to her, but nobody could believe that you could have given a king’s present to a slave, and so the rajah had her punished.” “How was she punished? What was done to her?” “She was tied up in a sack, and thrown into the lake from this window, from the window of the room in which we are, where she had committed the theft.” I felt the most terrible grief that I ever experienced, and I made a sign to Haribada to go away, so that he
might not see my tears; and I spent the night on the gallery that looked on to the lake, on the gallery where I had so often held the poor child on my knees. I pictured to myself her pretty little body lying decomposed in a sack in the dark waters beneath me, which we had so often looked at together formerly. The next day I left again, in spite of the rajah’s entreaties and evident vexation; and I now still feel as if I had never loved any woman but Châli."
Story in short- A prince gives a man a harem of young girl under ten years old.
"The prince looked on with ferocious pleasure, uttered grunts of delight, and imitated all their movements with careless gestures, crying out constantly: “Strike, strike hard!” One fell down unconscious, and had to be carried out of the arena, covered with blood, while the rajah uttered a sigh of regret because it was over so soon. He turned to me to know my opinion; I was disgusted, but I congratulated him loudly. He then gave orders that I was to be conducted to Couch-Mahal (the palace of pleasure), where I was to be lodged."
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert ❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
It seems that Chali was the only girl that the narrator had sexual relations, but it is not spelled out. He did not think enough that he should tell others about his gift to her which might have prevented her death. He should have refused the girls and left like he did after hearing about why Chali was killed. It is one thing to go to Rome and do what the Romans do, but if doing something is so wrong to your beliefs and your core, it is necessary to not be a Roman and speak your mind.
"One evening, however, on coming back from a walk, I found Haribada outside the gate of my palace. He told me in mysterious tones that a gift from the king was waiting for me in my room, and he said that his master begged me to excuse him for not having sooner thought of offering me that of which I had been deprived for such a long time. After these obscure remarks the ambassador bowed and withdrew. When I went in I saw six little girls standing against the wall motionless, side-by-side, like smelts on a skewer. The eldest was perhaps ten and the youngest eight years old. For the first moment I could not understand why this girls’ school had taken up its abode in my rooms; then, however, I divined the prince’s delicate attention: he had made me a present of a harem, and had chosen it very young from an excess of generosity. There, the more unripe the fruit is, in the higher estimation it is held. For some time I remained confused and embarrassed, ashamed in the presence of these children, who looked at me with great grave eyes which seemed already to divine what I should want of them. I did not know what to say to them; I felt inclined to send them back; but one cannot return the presents of a prince; it would have been a mortal insult. I was obliged, therefore, to keep them, and to install this troop of children in my rooms. They stood motionless, looking at me, waiting for my orders, trying to read my thoughts in my eyes. Confound such a present! How dreadfully it was in my way. At last, thinking that I must be looking rather ridiculous, I asked the eldest her name. “Châli,” she replied. “What have you come here for?” She replied, in her soft, harmonious voice: “I have come to be altogether at my lord’s disposal, and to do whatever he wishes.” She was evidently quite resigned. I put the same question to the youngest, who answered immediately in her shrill voice: “I am here to do whatever you ask me, my master.” This one was like a little mouse, and was very taking, just as they all were, so I took her in my arms and kissed her. The others made a movement to go away, thinking, no doubt, that I had made my choice; but I ordered them to stay, and sitting down in the Indian fashion, I made them all sit round me, and began to tell them fairy-tales, for I spoke their language tolerably well. They listened very attentively, and trembled, wringing their hands in agony. Poor little things, they were not thinking any longer of the reason why they were sent to me."
"For a week I took the greatest pleasure in acting the papa towards these living dolls. We had capital games of hide-and-seek, puss-in-the-corner, &c., which gave them the greatest pleasure, for every day I taught them a new game, to their intense delight."
"My farewell from Châli was heartrending. She wept, lying beside me, with her head on my breast, shaken with sobs. I did not know how to console her; my kisses were no good. All at once an idea struck me, and getting up I went and got the shell-box, and putting it into her hands, I said, “That is for you; it is yours.” Then I saw her smile at first. Her whole face was lighted up with internal joy, with that profound joy when impossible dreams are suddenly realized, and she embraced me ardently. All the same, she wept bitterly when I bade her a last farewell. I gave paternal kisses and cakes to all the rest of my wives, and then I started."
“Do you know what has become of little Châli, whom the rajah gave me?” He immediately assumed a sad and troubled look, and said, in evident embarrassment: “We had better not speak of her.” “Why? She was a dear little woman.” “She turned out badly, Sir.” “What — Châli? What has become of her? Where is she?”
“I mean to say that she came to a bad end.” “A bad end! Is she dead?” “Yes. She committed a very dreadful action.” I was very much distressed. I felt my heart beat, and my breast was oppressed with grief, and insisted on knowing what she had done and what had happened to her. The man became more and more embarrassed, and murmured, “You had better not ask about it.” “But I want to know.” “She stole— “
“Who — Châli? What did she steal?” “Something that belonged to you.” “To me? What do you mean?” “The day you left she stole that little box which the prince had given you; it was found in her hands.” “What box are you talking about?” “The box covered with shells.” “But I gave it to her.” The Indian looked at me with stupefaction, then replied: “Well, she declared with the most sacred oaths that you had given it to her, but nobody could believe that you could have given a king’s present to a slave, and so the rajah had her punished.” “How was she punished? What was done to her?” “She was tied up in a sack, and thrown into the lake from this window, from the window of the room in which we are, where she had committed the theft.” I felt the most terrible grief that I ever experienced, and I made a sign to Haribada to go away, so that he
might not see my tears; and I spent the night on the gallery that looked on to the lake, on the gallery where I had so often held the poor child on my knees. I pictured to myself her pretty little body lying decomposed in a sack in the dark waters beneath me, which we had so often looked at together formerly. The next day I left again, in spite of the rajah’s entreaties and evident vexation; and I now still feel as if I had never loved any woman but Châli."
October 19, 2024
AKA: Shali
A retired admiral named de la Valle remembers an astronomical expedition to Central India he undertook at age thirty. During his journey, he encountered magnificent regions and incredible monuments. Eventually, he reached Ganhara, which was governed by a tyrannical wealthy, violent and cruel prince named Rajah Maddan.
When after some time of elaborate feasting, barbarous weaponized boxing matches, tiger and other animal hunting he finds a group of six little girls aged from eight to ten years old in his sleeping quarters gifted to him as a harem to be disposed of as he wished. Well, our narrator ends up falling in love with the eldest of them named Chali which inevitably leads to a tragic end.
A truly shocking pedophilic tale that is difficult to read to the end.
A retired admiral named de la Valle remembers an astronomical expedition to Central India he undertook at age thirty. During his journey, he encountered magnificent regions and incredible monuments. Eventually, he reached Ganhara, which was governed by a tyrannical wealthy, violent and cruel prince named Rajah Maddan.
When after some time of elaborate feasting, barbarous weaponized boxing matches, tiger and other animal hunting he finds a group of six little girls aged from eight to ten years old in his sleeping quarters gifted to him as a harem to be disposed of as he wished. Well, our narrator ends up falling in love with the eldest of them named Chali which inevitably leads to a tragic end.
A truly shocking pedophilic tale that is difficult to read to the end.
March 30, 2024
Nothing is more horrible than emotional torture we bring on ourselves through action or inaction or both. And we know people can be absolutely awful. But here, even though we have a very atmospheric time and place, we have nothing but pain. Unpleasant and nothing more
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews