Round the Sofa; vol. 2

In a modest drawing‑room of Victorian London, a circle of friends gathers after the latest tale of Lady Ludlow, eager for fresh material. When the quiet Mr. Dawson offers a paper he has prepared for the Philosophical Society, the group is led into a surprising investigation of a little‑known European outcast. His essay, drawn from French academy sources, introduces the reader to the enigmatic Cagots – a people long shunned and labeled “the accursed race” in the Pyrenees and western France.

“The Accursed Race” blends earnest scholarship with vivid storytelling, painting a picture of a community forced to live on the margins of village life. From the forbidden doors of ancient churches to the painfully specific limits on their livestock, the narrative reveals how law, superstition and hostility shaped daily existence. The account is both a haunting social study and a compelling glimpse into a forgotten chapter of European history.

The volume continues with four additional stories, each offering its own blend of intrigue, domestic drama and moral reflection, inviting listeners to explore a rich tapestry of 19th‑century imagination.