Novel in four parts:

- In the Introduction, published in 1842 under the title Catherine de Médicis expliquée, Balzac urges the reader to revise his judgment on a queen considered bloody.

- The second part, Le Martyr calviniste, published in 1841, tells the story of an imaginary character, son of the furrier of Catherine de Medici. He is a Calvinist, compromised in the plots of the queen, faces terrible tortures but keeps silent not to compromise her.

- The third part, La Confidence des Ruggieri, published in 1836 traces the love of Charles IX and Marie Touchet some time after the St. Bartholomew massacre.

- In the fourth part, Les Deux Rêves, published in 1830, two guests at a dinner, one lawyer , one surgeon (perhaps Robespierre and Marat?) tell how Catherine de Medici appeared in their dream.

The four parts were combined in the second Furne edition (1846)of La Comédie Humaine.