
In a richly decorated drawing‑room, an eccentric octogenarian draped in silk and glittering jewelry dominates the conversation, demanding to know who dared to yawn so loudly. Around him sit a striking young woman with a fierce nose, a delicate sixteen‑year‑old whose every gesture seems measured, and a stout, self‑styled “English” governess thumbing through a book. Their silent compliance creates a tableau of strained propriety that hints at deeper tensions.
The old man’s monologue drifts between petty grievances and the ominous prospect of his own mortality, a subject that has haunted his household for eight years. As he summons servants and rattles a bell rope, the disparate guests—each with their own secrets and ambitions—remain mute, their faces reflecting a mix of curiosity and apprehension. Among them, a mysterious figure named Clementine holds a hidden role that may reshape the fragile balance of the family’s fortunes.
Listeners are drawn into this vivid portrait of late‑Victorian society, where status, inheritance, and whispered alliances swirl beneath a veneer of genteel decorum. The stage is set for intrigue, but the true stakes will only emerge as the characters begin to confront the old man’s unsettling revelations.
Language
hu
Duration
~12 hours (710K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Albert László from page images generously made available by the Google Books Library Project
Release date
2020-02-20
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1825–1904
A towering figure of 19th-century Hungarian literature, he wrote with astonishing range and energy, producing novels, short fiction, plays, and journalism that made him one of his country’s best-loved storytellers. His work often blends romance, adventure, history, and a lively sense of national life.
View all books