
FIVE TALES
By John Galsworthy
THE FIRST AND LAST
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
In a dimly lit study, a weary barrister seeks refuge from the day’s courtroom battles. Surrounded by leather‑bound volumes, a green‑shaded lamp, and the soft glow of a fire, he settles into his ritual of coffee, a pipe, and the quiet company of books. The narrative paints his meticulous mind, his doubts about a client’s honesty, and the lingering loneliness of a widower yearning for his daughter’s presence.
As night deepens, the atmosphere shifts when an unexpected voice whispers from the doorway, breaking his fragile peace. The brief, unsettling encounter sparks a subtle tension, hinting at unresolved matters beyond the legal case that has consumed him. Listeners are drawn into the intimate, introspective world of a man caught between duty, conscience, and the faint stirrings of something unknown lurking just beyond the lamp’s reach.
Language
en
Duration
~8 hours (516K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by David Widger
Release date
Jun 14, 2006
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1867–1933
A keen observer of English society, John Galsworthy turned family tensions, class, property, and changing social values into compelling fiction and drama. He is best known for The Forsyte Saga, the sweeping family chronicle that earned him the 1932 Nobel Prize in Literature.
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