From the book
The Gods Are Athirst
Anatole France · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Meaning
Lemma.
A busc is the stiff strip supporting the front of a bodice or stays. The country girl folds the volunteer drawing and slips it over her heart between this support and her shift. The technical garment term locates the image on her body and explains how the paper is carried privately. It should not be mistaken for a handbag, purse or pocket; the movement makes the supposedly generic likeness an intimate possession.
Places to read
- Chapter II, paragraph 48Frenchentre le busc et la chemise: between the front stiffener and the shift. She places the folded image over her heart before paying.