An early work by the Marquis de Sade "Justine, Or, The Misfortunes of Virtue" was originally written during a two week period in 1787 while the author was imprisoned in the Bastille. The story is concerned with the titular character, a twelve year old maiden who sets off, to make her way in France, and follows her through age twenty-six in her quest for virtue. In the search for work and shelter Justine continuously falls prey to a series of scoundrels who subject her to sexual torture and abuse. Having been numerously revised by the author and published in varying censored and unexpurgated editions there exists no definitive edition of this work.
