Three Sides of Paradise Green

In Short

Written as a joint journal project by suburban high school students, this youth mystery centers on the arrival of an enigmatic French gentleman, Monsieur de Vaubert, across the village green. Intrigued by his bizarre, deferential behavior toward their American friend Louis Durant, the inquisitive girls set out to unearth his identity. What begins as village gossip escalates into a historical search linking Louis to the French Revolution and the fate of the lost dauphin. Combining New England domestic charm with European historical romance, the tale endures as a lighthearted coming-of-age mystery set against the quiet eve of World War I.

The Story

In November 1913, inspired by their beloved English teacher Miss Cullingford, high school student Sue and her imaginative friend Carol decide to begin keeping regular journals. Sue’s younger sister, nicknamed the Imp, immediately discovers their secret and begins teasing them with her superior knack for eavesdropping and uncovering local gossip. The peaceful routine of Paradise Green is interrupted when a mysterious French visitor, calling himself Monsieur de Vaubert, takes up residence across the green with the quiet Meadows family and their teenage relative, Louis Durant.

The young people quickly notice Monsieur’s strange behavior. While he acts dictatorial regarding Louis’s studies, he treats the American youth with an underlying, reverent deference. Fueled by curiosity, the girls begin investigating. The Imp stays one step ahead, making frequent visits across the green and secretly translating French texts. Meanwhile, Louis suffers a severe axe accident that results in blood poisoning; during the crisis, Monsieur's frantic devotion to the boy becomes unmistakably clear.

As Louis recovers, he develops a passion for mechanics and aviation, secretly planning to build a biplane. When he reveals this dangerous hobby to Monsieur, the old man suffers a sudden heart attack from the shock. Deepening the mystery, Carol discovers a hidden, covered portrait in Monsieur’s room depicting a young boy. The girls soon identify the portrait as the unfortunate Dauphin of France, Louis XVII, who was believed to have died in prison during the French Revolution.

Eventually, the girls demand the truth from the Imp, who arranges a meeting with Monsieur. The old gentleman reveals his true identity as the Marquis de Maurepas. He explains that his grandfather and a loyal soldier, Jean Mettot, helped the young dauphin escape to New England, where he lived under the name Louis Durant. Monsieur has spent years searching for the lost royal heir, believing Louis to be the direct descendant of the French king.

However, Louis resists the idea of abandoning his American identity to become a French aristocrat, especially as it threatens his dreams of aviation. The final missing piece of the puzzle lies in an old hidden document. During a search of an old chimney in the Durant house, the group unearths a rusted iron box containing a centuries-old letter written by the original dauphin. The document reveals that the royal line actually died out; the dauphin had adopted Jean Mettot's son, making Louis the descendant of a noble-hearted soldier rather than a king. Relieved, Louis retains his proud American heritage. As World War I breaks out, Monsieur returns to France, and Louis uses his aviation skills in the service of his home country.

How It Unfolds

The journal is begun Prompted by their inspiring English literature teacher, Sue and Carol start personal journals to document their daily lives. The sharp-witted Imp discovers their new hobby and begins mocking their poetic entries while hinting at intriguing rumors involving their neighbor across the green.

A strange guest arrives Slender, chestnut-haired Louis Durant mentions that an elderly French gentleman named Monsieur de Vaubert has taken up residence in his household. The visitor displays a puzzling mix of high-handed authority over Louis's routine and humble, servant-like deference toward the young American.

Dauphin in the bedroom During a routine visit, Carol catches a glimpse of a carefully veiled portrait in Monsieur’s private quarters. After cross-referencing history books, the girls realize the portrait depicts the tragic child-martyr Louis XVII, raising intense questions about why the Frenchman treasures the image.

A secret revealed Monsieur suffers a severe heart attack when Louis announces his intention to become an aviator. Forced to explain his intense concern, Monsieur reveals to the girls that he is actually a Marquis who believes Louis is the living heir to the throne of France.

The chimney box To settle Louis's lineage once and for all, the group searches the old Durant house for a legendary hidden letter. The Imp pulls a rusted iron box from a dusty chimney nook, unearthing the lost manuscript sealed by the dauphin himself.

American at heart The opened document clarifies that the dauphin left no biological heirs, leaving Louis free from foreign royal expectations. With the arrival of World War I, Louis proudly enlists as an American flyer, having preserved his identity on Paradise Green.

The People

• Sue: The grounded primary narrator of the journal. She wants to maintain harmony, succeed in her schoolwork, and solve local secrets, but she constantly finds her patience tested by her sister's antics. Through her writing, she learns to observe people with greater empathy.
• Carol: Sue’s absent-minded, poetic best friend. She longs for romance and artistic inspiration, often getting lost in her own thoughts. Her discovery of the hidden portrait drives the core historical mystery forward.
• The Imp: Sue’s sharp, younger sister. Driven by an insatiable curiosity and a desire to outsmart the older girls, she secretly learns French and uncovers vital clues before anyone else. She matures from a pest into an indispensable ally.
• Louis Durant: An energetic, mechanical-minded American boy. He wants to build boats, master aviation, and chart his own path. He faces the distressing prospect of being uprooted to become a French aristocrat, ultimately standing firm in his American identity.
• Monsieur de Vaubert (The Marquis de Maurepas): An elderly, aristocratic French gentleman. Bound by family tradition and loyalty to the old monarchy, he seeks to restore the lost royal line, but his deep genuine affection for Louis eventually eclipses his formal ambitions.

In Its Own Voice

"It's strange... that when you once get to thinking about a certain thing, all sorts of other ideas and events connected with it will suddenly begin to appear."

Sue reflects on how starting her journal suddenly opens her eyes to the quiet mysteries hidden right across the green.

"He says his name is Monsieur de Vaubert, but I strongly doubt it."

Louis expresses his early confusion to the girls regarding the strange old guest who treats him like a royal ruler one moment and a child the next.

"I've been proud as Lucifer all my life to be an American... What are French kings to me?"

Faced with the staggering claim that he is royal heir to the French throne, Louis angrily rejects the burden of foreign aristocracy in favor of his own homeland.

What It's Really About

Beneath its cozy New England setting and school-girl diary format, the novel explores the conflict between inherited legacy and personal identity. Monsieur represents the old European order, bound by ancestral duty, royal lineage, and formal traditions. In contrast, Louis embodies the early twentieth-century American spirit—forward-looking, fascinated by modern aviation, and resistant to class titles. The central puzzle asks whether a person's worth and destiny are dictated by royal bloodlines or forged by individual choice and character. By revealing that Louis descends from a courageous, ordinary soldier rather than a king, the narrative champions self-determination, practical skill, and democratic ideals over aristocratic pretensions.

Why Read It Today

This novel offers an entertaining, nostalgic dip into early twentieth-century juvenile fiction. Readers who enjoy light cozy mysteries, historical twists, and classic domestic stories will appreciate its gentle pace, warm humor, and realistic dynamic between sisters. The diary format gives the prose an intimate, accessible quality that captures the simple pleasures and schoolyard drama of a bygone era.

Modern readers should keep in mind that the book reflects the values and literature styles of 1918. The pacing is deliberate, relying heavily on conversational disclosures, quiet local observations, and formal, period-appropriate dialogue rather than fast-paced action. Additionally, the narrative is firmly rooted in the patriotic sentiments of the World War I home front. For those willing to settle into its relaxed, conversational rhythm, it remains a charming story about friendship, hidden family histories, and the simple comfort of finding one's true place in the world.

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<Elicitation label="Explore the real historical legends of the Lost Dauphin" query="Explain the real historical legends and theories surrounding the 'Lost Dauphin' (Louis XVII) that inspired this story."/>

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