'The Celibates' is a collection of three short stories written by Honore de Balzac. The first story is 'Pierrette', which is about the persecution and eventual death of a young girl. The second story is 'The Vicar of Tours', is about the revenge of an old maid who has been treated badly by the clergy, and it is highly regarded by some critics. And the third story, 'The Two Brothers', is about the conflicts between two brothers, one a devout Catholic and the other a materialist, over the inheritance of their father's estate.