Chapters

Description

In a richly appointed 18th‑century Lisbon salon, the curtain rises on a twilight scene framed by cracked windows that overlook the river. The room glitters with porcelain, silk, and a lone Chinese vase, while the scent of ink and old books lingers in the air. At its center sits Magdalena, a woman torn between the fleeting joys of love and the oppressive weight of fear that shadows her every thought.

She is soon joined by the faithful Telmo, whose reverent yet uneasy conversation about sacred texts and foreign ideas reveals a world on the brink of change. Their exchange weaves together personal longing, questions of faith, and the subtle tensions of a society caught between tradition and the whispers of new philosophies. As the evening deepens, listeners are drawn into the intimate drama of devotion, doubt, and the fragile hope that perhaps, for a brief moment, true happiness might be within reach.

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Details

Language

pt

Duration

~1 hours (102K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Release date

2006-01-23

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

Visconde de João Batista da Silva Leitão de Almeida Garrett Almeida Garrett

Visconde de João Batista da Silva Leitão de Almeida Garrett Almeida Garrett

1799–1854

A leading voice of Portuguese Romanticism, he helped reshape 19th-century literature with poetry, drama, and prose that brought national history and feeling to life. He was also deeply involved in public life, linking literary renewal with the liberal politics of his time.

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