Translated from the German by Anthea Bell
'...her fear was waiting, impatient to take her in its grasp...'
This
novella of less than a hundred pages was written almost a century ago by Stefan
Zweig yet the themes of love and affairs, the search for excitement and
passion, the guilt and the fear of discovery of infidelities are eternal ones
that are just as relevant today. As the narrative commences, we meet Irene
Wagner as she leaves the home of her lover, a young pianist, to return to her
easy, comfortable bourgeois life, home and family. However, as she endeavours
to overcome the fear that hits her upon leaving his arms, she is horrified to
encounter his former mistress, who proceeds to blackmail her.
Zweig
makes such accurate observations about human behaviour and relationships, and
in particular here, such striking insights into a woman’s thoughts and
emotions. It’s a beautifully written, intelligent and deeply insightful study of a
woman seeking something beyond her bourgeois married life, and this English
translation is excellent and a pleasure to read. I'm so glad that Zweig's works
are available to a wider audience now.
Published by Pushkin Press
originally reviewed for newbooks magazine
