Colomba by Prosper Merimee. Short summary

5 seconds

Colombo, a Corsican woman, tries to avenge her father’s death. She blames the enemy of the family, the lawyer Barracini, for his death. She deliberately provokes him, after which her brother kills his sons.

1 minute

Colombo della Rebia, the Corsican’s father, served in Napoleon’s army with the rank of colonel. When Napoleon’s power collapses, he returns from service and dies under unexplained circumstances.

The daughter dreams of avenging her father. She is convinced that the culprit of his death is Barracini, a lawyer who has always been considered an enemy of their family. The heroine has tried to seek justice, but her attempts have been unsuccessful. Columbo tells her brother Orso that she has changed her plan of revenge. She asks her brother to help her with the murder, but he refuses because he is not sure of the victim’s guilt.

Colombo provokes Barracini to organize a family quarrel and kill the enemy. The lawyer behaves defiantly and Orso challenges his sons to a duel, where he kills them.

The grief-stricken Barracini confesses to the murder of Father Colombo. Thereafter, the girl feels the satisfaction of revenge. The heroes move to Europe, as Orso is forced to hide from justice. Here they have to start from scratch.