
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
A young lawyer named Péter wanders through the winding streets of historic Pest in early September, hunting for a place to call his own. He stumbles upon an oddly painted yellow house in the Terézváros district, where a cryptic notice promises a room “not suitable for everyone.” The building’s cramped courtyards, tangled gardens and the looming, turret‑like façade set a mood that feels both inviting and slightly oppressive.
Inside, Péter meets a peculiar old man in a dim, smoke‑filled workshop who dismisses the existence of the name “Karpfenbiller” scrawled on the door. Their conversation drifts into a curious debate about the nature of signs, names and reality, hinting at deeper questions about law, identity and the unseen rules that shape daily life. The atmosphere crackles with a quiet, almost philosophical mystery that invites listeners to follow Péter’s search for meaning amid the shadows of old Budapest.
Language
hu
Duration
~3 hours (202K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
Budapest: Légrády Testvérek, 1928.
Credits
Albert László from page images generously made available by the Hungarian Electronic Library
Release date
2024-01-07
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1874–1915
A popular Hungarian novelist and short-story writer at the turn of the 20th century, he also brought a real passion for horses and racing into his work. His life was short, but his fiction remained well known enough to keep finding new readers long after his death.
View all books
by Károly Lovik

by Károly Lovik

by Károly Lovik

by Károly Lovik

by Vinceslas-Eugène Dick

by Philippe Aubert de Gaspé

by Abraham Cahan