
This etext was transcribed by Les Bowler
In the hushed corridors of the French War Ministry, a storm of frustration brews as the Minister of War paces, his temper ignited by the disappearance of Colonel Vallenot. The mystery centers on a catastrophic explosion at General de Trémont’s laboratory—a blast so violent that stone fragments were hurled a mile away, hinting at a secretive new explosive that could reshape the balance of power.
When Vallenot finally returns, he brings an unexpected ally: a former sub‑officer turned detective, whose presence the Minister greets with suspicion. Together they begin to untangle a web of moral ambiguities and technical details, probing whether the disaster stems from reckless ambition, sabotage, or something far more sinister.
The stakes quickly rise as the investigation hints at a weapon capable of granting unrivaled military supremacy. Listeners are drawn into a tense, early‑twentieth‑century thriller where political intrigue and scientific curiosity collide, leaving the true cause of the devastation—and the motives behind it—shrouded in uncertainty.
Language
en
Duration
~10 hours (592K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2022-10-13
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1848–1918
A hugely popular French novelist and playwright of the late 19th century, he wrote emotional, fast-moving stories that spoke to a broad public. His best-known work, Le Maître de forges, helped make him one of the era’s most widely read authors.
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