
A mischievous yet thoughtful tale unfolds when a curious young man discovers a magical jewel that compels anyone who wears it to reveal their most hidden thoughts. Through a series of witty encounters with courtiers, lovers and aspiring actors, the story exposes the pretensions and hypocrisies of Parisian society while playfully probing deeper questions about art, morality and the role of the theater. The narrative’s sparkling humor masks a serious undercurrent, inviting listeners to consider how personal desire and public reputation intertwine.
Written in the lively prose of the Enlightenment, the novel blends satire with genuine philosophical curiosity, offering a vivid portrait of 18th‑century life without sacrificing entertainment. Listeners will be drawn into the clever dialogues, the colorful characters, and the subtle commentary that makes the work both a pleasure to hear and a prompt for reflection. The first act sets the stage for a charmingly provocative journey that lingers long after the final line.
Language
fr
Duration
~9 hours (518K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Laurent Vogel, Pierre Lacaze and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica) at http://gallica.bnf.fr)
Release date
2011-09-20
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1713–1784
A restless, wide-ranging mind of the French Enlightenment, he helped reshape how people thought about knowledge, art, religion, and freedom. Best known for co-editing the vast Encyclopédie, he also wrote daring, playful fiction that still feels fresh.
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