Eugène Chavette (real name Vachette, 1827-1902) was a French poet and writer, a master of historical and adventure novels based on real events. In the 1870s and 1880s, his works were widely popular in Russia. Books such as "The Courtesan", "The Fatal Inheritance", "On the Misty Trail", "The Escaped Notary" promised readers mysterious secrets, fatal intrigues and tense adventures. Almost every novel by Chavette contains a fatal secret, leading the heroes through dangers and conspiracies to a solution and denouement.

This edition presents his novel "The Grinder", the action of which takes place on the eve of 18 Brumaire (November 9, 1799) - the day when Napoleon Bonaparte carried out a coup d'état and came to power.

The protagonists are young royalists, the Chevalier Yvon de Béralec and his friend Count Cojol, led by the Duke de Montesquieu, an implacable enemy of Napoleon. Their goal is to restore royal power, but to do so they need money. Their only hope is the treasure of the executed courtesan Du Barry, which, according to her dying confession, was buried in the basement of a private house.

But the heroes are not the only ones looking for this treasure. A gang of robbers, led by the mysterious Grinder, is on the trail of the treasure - an enigmatic man whose intentions are unknown, but whose influence extends far beyond the criminal world.

This novel is a gripping story of conspiracy, betrayal and a deadly game for power and gold. It intertwines romance and adventure with historical accuracy, creating a gripping narrative about a turning point in French history.