Savremena historija: Brijest na bedemu

The story takes place in an unnamed French provincial town (probably near Tourcoing) at the end of the 19th century. The main theme is the struggle for the vacant bishop's chair between two priests: the strict, conservative and learned abbé Lantaigne and the pragmatic, ambitious and flexible abbé Guitrel. The novel vividly depicts the ecclesiastical, political and social intrigues of provincial life – conflicts between the clergy, the Freemasons, the Republicans, the Royalists and the bourgeoisie.

Through the character of Monsieur Bergeret, a professor of literature and the author's alter-ego, France ironizes and criticizes the society of the Third Republic: hypocrisy, petty bourgeoisie, the senselessness of political struggles and human vanity. The style is typically French – elegant, witty, satirical and slightly pessimistic, full of irony and philosophical digressions.

The Elm on the Rampart is considered one of the best examples of France's social satire. The book is important because it introduces Bergeret, who will become a central character in the subsequent parts of the tetralogy and follow the Dreyfus Affair.