
Set against the glittering backdrop of late‑nineteenth‑century Europe, this novel follows a young intellectual as he drifts from the cafés of Paris to the canals of Venice, and onward to the ancient streets of Rome. The narrative is less about external events than about the inner currents that shape his thoughts, ambitions, and subtle anxieties. Through keen observation and elegant prose, the story captures the restless energy of a continent in flux, where ideas clash as vividly as the societies that nurture them.
As the protagonist navigates salons, lecture halls, and fleeting romances, he confronts the tension between his polished mind and the stirrings of his heart. Each encounter offers a mirror—reflecting both the allure of cosmopolitan life and the quiet doubts that linger beneath cultured façades. Listeners will be drawn into a world where psychological nuance and social intrigue intertwine, inviting them to contemplate the delicate balance between intellect and feeling.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (146K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2003-04-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1852–1935
A major French novelist and critic of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, his fiction explored psychology, morality, and the tensions of modern society. He moved from poetry and literary criticism into bestselling novels that helped shape the French psychological novel.
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