As the first story in a large collection of "Wild Tales," "The Beautiful Imperia" is not just an episode in the moral tapestry of Balzac's well-known worlds. Rather, it takes readers to Constance during the Council from 1414 to 1418. The narrative tells how a small priest from Touraine, Balzac's home region, wins the love of a beautiful woman. Comparative reading reveals surprising insights into Balzac's method of using language supposedly borrowed from the 16th century to deceive the censors of the 19th century. Those who wish to study the original more closely can do so with the help of a glossary of the forms altered by Balzac.