
Set in a modest yet elegant manor on the outskirts of Budapest in 1912, the play opens with a quiet afternoon after lunch. The drawing‑room, filled with polished furniture, a piano, and a glass wall that opens onto a veranda overlooking a park, becomes the stage for a tightly wound aristocratic circle. Here, Count Ferenc, his sister‑in‑law Emma, the restless Countess Stefi, and a few other titled guests gather, each nursing coffee, cigars, and unspoken grievances.
A delayed train becomes the catalyst for a tense exchange. While some blame the railway for the absence of the missing Count Mihály and his party, others—particularly Stefi—use the inconvenience to vent frustrations about the kingdom’s social order, the plight of peasants, and the perceived indifference of the state. The dialogue crackles with sarcasm, quiet conspiracies, and a simmering sense that something beneath the genteel veneer is about to erupt, setting the stage for the drama’s unfolding intrigue.
Language
hu
Duration
~3 hours (220K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
Hungary: Singer és Wolfner, 1912.
Credits
Albert László from page images generously made available by the Google Books Library Project
Release date
2023-01-08
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1880–1948
A Hungarian novelist, playwright, and screenwriter, he moved with ease between the stage and the early film world, building an international career from Budapest to London and Hollywood. His work helped shape popular entertainment in the first half of the 20th century.
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