Strong as Death

It is hard for a painter to live without music, just as for a man it is hard without a woman—loved and loving. For Olivier Berthier, a celebrated and prosperous portrait artist, these two roles have merged into one—into the enchanting Anne, Comtesse de Guilleroy. Their relationship lasted twelve years, and throughout that time they remained devoted to one another.

But inspiration does not last forever, and feelings change their color. Anne gradually grows older; her beauty fades, and she no longer excites Olivier as much—neither as a woman nor as a source of creativity. And with mounting horror, he realizes that day by day he is being drawn more and more to Anne’s young daughter—as if in her the former, youthful Anne has awakened again and returned…