One of several short stories used to fill out the original edition of Les Trois Mousquetaires.
From A Bibliography of Alexandre Dumas père by Frank Wild Reed: HISTOIRE D'UN MORT. (ou INVRAISEMBLANCE.) HISTOIRE D'UNE ÂME. (ou UNE ÂME À NAÎTRE.) UN MESSAGE. FRA BARTHOLOMEO.
Of these four items, used to complete the final volume of the original edition of "Les Trois Mousquetaires," the "Histoire d'un Mort" (sometimes entitled "Invraisemblance") and the "Histoire d'une Âme" are stories of a nature not congenial to Dumas' talent, and seldom attempted by him. None the less the first is amusing for its introductory portion, which narrates how Dumas, instigated by a diverting letter from a stranger, went to demand of the librarian of the Bibliothèque Royale, as it then was, those very "Mémoires du Comte de la Fère," of which the only existence was in his own brain.
Both these stories are to be read in the standard Calmann-Lévy edition as adjuncts to "Gabriel Lambert."
They also form part of a volume of short stories in the same firm's illustrated series.
In Le Vasseur's "Alexandre Dumas Illustré" they form part of Vol. XVI.
"Un Message" proves to be the first part of "Histoire d'un Mort."
"Fra Bartholomeo" is one of the articles which appeared later under the title of "Histoire des Peintres." (Refer to 1845.)
"Une Âme à Naître," which is another title for "Histoire d'une Âme," and "Invraisemblance" were two of the stories used to fill the final volume of "La Guerre des Femmes," in its original edition of 1845-46.
English Translation :—
"A Sheer Impossibility" ("Invraisemblance") is included with "Gabriel Lambert;" London, Methuen, 1904, sewed.
