
Eine Einleitung, die eigentlich das letzte Gespräch ist und deshalb am Anfang und am Schluß gelesen werden kann
Das typische Erlebnis
»Hat sie wirklich so schöne Schultern?«
Was man von geschmackvollen Menschen verlangen darf
Von klugen und törichten Jungfrauen, himmelblauen Kleidern und schlechten Gewohnheiten
Von Märchen und Masken
»Das ist nun mal mein Fimmel –«
Und da ging Karl Gerhard zur Bar –
Von Seelenmalerei und einer geschwollenen Backe
»Mir scheint, Sie weiden sich an meiner Todesqual –«
In a sun‑lit study, a charismatic young man named Kurt Georgi arrives with a manuscript tucked under his arm, his laugh ringing through the room as he jokes about being a “dandy” and worries whether he’ll be listed among the “twilight friends.” The narrator, calm and slightly bemused, offers him coffee and delicate biscuits while the two spar over the meaning of honesty, criticism, and the etiquette of friendship. Their banter, peppered with literary references and sly humor, sets a tone that feels both intimate and theatrical.
The work itself is a collection of eleven informal dialogues, each capturing a brief encounter between a group of young men whose lives intersect through a single woman’s presence. Rather than spelling out personalities, the conversations hint at desires, insecurities, and the subtle power dynamics that ripple beneath polite conversation. The prose glides between wit and melancholy, inviting listeners to linger on the cadence of each exchange.
Through this blend of clever repartee and understated observation, the narrative explores how friendship can be both a shelter and a mirror, prompting reflection on authenticity, affection, and the quiet dramas that unfold in everyday talk.
Language
de
Duration
~2 hours (164K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
Release date
Aug 23, 2020
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1873–1945
A German writer and translator whose life stretched from imperial Germany to exile in Sweden, she is remembered for bringing major European literature into German and for her own fiction. Her story carries the feel of a literary life shaped by languages, upheaval, and persistence.
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