Immensee
CRITIQUE | QUOTES
1902 editionFirst publication
1849–1851
Literature form
Novella
Writing language
German
Author's country
Germany
Length
Approx. 11,500 words
Notable lines
0ne afternoon in the late autumn a well-dressed old man was walking slowly down the street. He appeared to be returning home from a walk, for his buckle-shoes, which followed a fashion long since out of date, were covered with dust.
— First lines, trans. C.W. Bell
"These melodies are as old as the world," said Reinhard; "they slumber in the depths of the forest; God knows who discovered them."
When they passed out of the front door Reinhard gave her his arm, and thus he walked in silence side by side with the slender maiden. The nearer they came to their destination the more he felt as if he had something he must say to her before he bade her a long farewell, something on which all that was worthy and all that was sweet in his future life depended, and yet he could not formulate the saving word. In his anguish, he walked slower and slower.
Then he drew his chair up to the table, took one of the open books and buried himself in studies to which he had once applied all the strength of his youth.
— Last line
CRITIQUE | QUOTES
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