Le diable boiteux, tome I

A wandering traveler arrives in the bustling streets of early‑18th‑century Madrid only to be joined by an unexpected companion—a one‑legged devil who offers to lift the veil on the city’s hidden vices. Their partnership turns the capital into a moving stage where gossip, greed, ambition and folly unfold with a witty, almost conspiratorial tone. Each stop reveals a fresh vignette of ordinary citizens and aristocrats, their pretensions laid bare through the devil’s mischievous insight.

The novel’s episodic structure invites listeners to dip in and out of countless characters, from scheming merchants to love‑driven poets, all rendered with the breezy, satirical flair that made the work a sensation in its day. Its lively pace and sharp commentary on human nature remain surprisingly fresh, offering both amusement and a gentle reminder that the absurdities of society have long outlived their setting.