
A weary yet eager French priest steps off a cramped train in Rome, clutching only a small suitcase and a notebook full of maps. From the moment his carriage rattles through the bustling station, he is swept into a whirlwind tour of the city’s monuments, guided by a chatty coachman whose whip points out the ancient baths, the towering bank, and the elegant villas that line the winding streets.
Pierre’s scholarly eye meets the living tapestry of Rome—sun‑drenched piazzas, marble columns, and shadowed alleys that seem to whisper centuries of history. As he navigates the chaotic traffic and steep climbs, his fascination deepens, turning the city itself into a companion on his quest for meaning amid its layered past.
The narrative captures the intoxicating blend of awe and disorientation that comes with stepping into a metropolis where every corner holds a story, inviting listeners to wander alongside Pierre and feel the pulse of Rome’s timeless heart.
Language
nl
Duration
~26 hours (1516K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ for Project Gutenberg.
Release date
2020-02-05
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1840–1902
Best known for his vivid, unsparing novels of French life, this major 19th-century writer helped shape literary naturalism. He is also remembered for his fearless public defense of justice during the Dreyfus affair.
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