
A haunting voice greets the listener, a man declared dead by the cholera that swept Naples in 1884, yet insisting he walks the earth with blood still coursing through his veins. His stark description of white hair and iron‑strong limbs invites curiosity, while the exotic backdrop of a South American forest where he now hides adds an unsettling, almost mythic quality to his confession.
In the first act we glimpse the tragedy that sparked his resolve: a beloved’s betrayal and a society where legal red tape offers no solace to a wounded honor. Driven by a fierce need for vengeance, he turns to a solitary pen, determined to expose the darkness that thrives beneath respectable façades.
The narrative balances gothic atmosphere with social commentary, exploring how grief, pride, and the fear of the unknown can push a man to the edge of madness. Listeners are drawn into a suspenseful meditation on life, death, and the lengths one will go to reclaim a tarnished name.
Language
en
Duration
~13 hours (789K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2003-08-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1855–1924
A Victorian bestseller with a flair for the mystical and dramatic, this once wildly popular novelist captivated huge audiences from the 1880s into the early 20th century. Her books mixed romance, spirituality, and social criticism in a way that won devoted readers even as critics often pushed back.
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