
A quiet carriage on the Turin‑Venice line becomes a stage for a gentle portrait of two strangers who share an uncanny likeness—father and son, one Italian‑tinged, the other English‑tinged, their conversations drifting between languages and memories. Their dialogue hints at a world of vanished aristocratic families, lingering grief, and the subtle pride of a man eager to appear well‑connected while wrestling with the truth. Through the young man’s restless gaze out the window and his sketchbook, the story captures the restless spirit of youth against a backdrop of fading 19th‑century grandeur.
The narrative unfolds as a series of intimate vignettes, each revealing a fragment of a larger tapestry of Italian life—old palaces, lingering epidemics, and the lingering echo of historic battles. It invites listeners to linger on the texture of everyday conversation, the melancholy of missed chances, and the quiet hope that a city like Venice might still hold a future worth returning to. The tone is reflective yet warm, offering a window onto a bygone era without rushing toward dramatic twists.
Full title
Nuovi racconti Dopo venticinque anni; Lo Specchio rotto; Il Parassita indipendente; Il Maestro di calligrafia; L'Orologio fermo; La Lettera di Margherita
Language
it
Duration
~4 hours (262K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2014-09-16
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1839–1915
A novelist, teacher, and patriot of Italy’s Risorgimento, his stories often paired lively storytelling with serious social questions. Best known for writing for young readers, he helped shape modern Italian children’s literature while staying closely engaged with the public life of his time.
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