
DOCTOR PASCAL - By Émile Zola - Translated By Mary J. Serrano
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In a quiet July afternoon, the cool interior of a grand apartment shields its inhabitants from the relentless heat outside. Dr. Pascal, a distinguished scholar nearing sixty, moves through the towering oak press that holds decades of his notes on heredity, the dust motes dancing in a single golden sunbeam. The room, lined with books and pastel sketches, feels like a sanctuary where meticulous research and lingering melancholy coexist.
Assisting him is Clotilde, a young woman of striking poise who balances delicate artistic work with precise copying of the doctor’s cryptic writings. Their interactions reveal a mix of reverence and quiet tension, as Pascal entrusts her with the organization of his vast archives while hinting at the secrecy of his “diabolical” notes. Within this measured routine, subtle undercurrents of family ambition and scientific obsession begin to surface, inviting listeners into a world where intellect, art, and personal desire intersect in the shadows of a turning century.
Language
en
Duration
~11 hours (665K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
Jan 1, 2004
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1840–1902
A leading voice of French naturalism, he turned the struggles of ordinary people into vivid, unforgettable fiction. His novels are famous for their energy, social detail, and fearless willingness to challenge injustice.
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by Émile Zola

by Émile Zola

by Émile Zola

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by Émile Zola

by Émile Zola

by Émile Zola

by Émile Zola