Secrets of the Princesse de Cadignan is a comic tale about a society woman, a Princess and a Duchess, who attempts to recycle her slightly seedy past by pursuing a minor literary figure of great probity and innocence. The Princess de Cadignan, aka the Duchesse de Maufrigneuse, has consorted with such notable Balzac rakes as Henri de Marsay, Maxime de Trailles, and Eugène de Rastignac, but is disconcerted to find herself being stalked by an unknown but comely young man. 

It turns out that this young man is killed in a political riot. His name was Michel Chrestien, and he was known to be the close friend of an author named Daniel d'Arthez. With her ego gratified by Chrestien's attention, the Princess seeks to make a conquest of d'Arthez, which she proceeds to do by whitewashing her past and pulling the wool firmly over Daniel's eyes.