There , he met Marie Duplessis , a young courtesan who would be the inspiration for his romantic novel , La dame aux camÃ lias ( The Lady of the Camellias ) . There , he met Marie Duplessis , a young courtesan who would be the inspiration for his romantic novel The Lady of the Camellias ( La Dame aux camÃ lias ) , wherein Duplessis was named Marguerite Gauthier .