Anton Hofmiller, a young lieutenant in the Austro-Hungarian cavalry just before the First World War, is invited to a wealthy family's castle, where he discovers that the daughter, Edith, is paralyzed. Moved by pity, he begins to visit and show her kindness, and she falls in love with him. Hofmiller, caught between compassion, fear of scandal, and cowardice, lets the situation grow out of hand with fatal results. A doctor, Condor, enters to guide events.
Zweig's novel is a fine pick for readers who like psychological fiction about guilt and the line between sympathy and weakness. It also offers a portrait of a fading empire, written with great clarity.
Deep, inward-looking, contemplative and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Mindful Reader. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1939
- Language
- EN
