Bored at a half-deserted Italian hotel, the narrator of this short story spends his days observing the other inhabitants. His routine changes, however, once he finally finds a companion: a mysterious elderly gentleman willing to share an idea for a captivating novella... Stefan Zweig was born into an affluent Jewish family in Vienna, in 1881. He lived in Austria, England, and, in 1940, moved to Brazil. Throughout his career as a writer, he demonstrated a keen interest in psychology and, in particular, in the work of Sigmund Freud. This fascination with human nature prompted Zweig to create complex portraits of his characters, and, consequently, produce works that continue to captivate readers for generations.
