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Tatiana Alkecheva

"Impatience of the Heart" - plot

The action of the novel begins in 1913 in a small town near Vienna. The story is told from the point of view of the protagonist - Anton Hofmiller. At the beginning of the novel, this is a young man aged 25, a lieutenant in the Austrian army cavalry, who grew up in a poor large family and early on military service considered prestigious for a man. The young man was relieved of the need to make independent decisions in his life, he was only required to follow the orders of the command, but, on the other hand, the monotonous life in the garrison of a small town and the lack of prospects quickly began to burden him.

One day, Anton is invited to dinner at the castle of the richest landowner in the area - Mr. von Kekesfalva. There he meets two charming young girls: only daughter the owner - Edith - and with her cousin Ilona. Anton and Ilona quickly find common topics for conversation, have fun, dance a lot. Anton, who almost forgot about the owner's daughter, invited Edith to a waltz, but in response the girl burst into tears. Not understanding what is happening, Anton turns to Ilona for clarification, who tells him that Edith has paralysis of her legs and cannot move without crutches and outside help. Confused, Anton leaves Kekesfalva Castle, even forgetting to say goodbye. All night his conscience torments him, he pities Edith and even experiences involuntary shame because of his good health, which had never happened to him before. The next morning, with the last of his money, Anton buys a huge bouquet of scarlet roses and sends them to Edith along with a note of apology. Edith writes in response that she is not offended, thanks for the flowers and invites her to visit them at any time.

Anton begins to spend all his free time in the castle, trying to entertain the girls. All the inhabitants of the castle are very pleased with his visits and accept him as their own. In one of the conversations, Ilona says that she has a fiancé, but out of love for her cousin and at the request of her uncle, she agreed to postpone her marriage and devotes all her time and energy to caring for Edith. At first, Anton likes to communicate with the Kekesfalva family, because here the young man found what he lacked long years: house, family comfort, comfort, communication with educated people, pleasant female society. His visits to the castle become known to his comrades in the service, who treat differently: some scoff, others envy, some believe that he wants to get rich this way, because Edith is a rich heiress. Anton tries to clearly distinguish between his life in the garrison and visits to the castle out of fear of public opinion.

Meanwhile, Dr. Condor arrives at the castle for Edith's new medical examination. Kekesfalva asks Anton to ask the doctor when Edith will recover. Anton is confused, but under pressure from Kekesfalva and wanting to help, he agrees. Condor, in a conversation with Anton, talks about the past of Kekesfalva: about his Jewish origin, about the source of his wealth, about the death of his wife and about the accident with his daughter. Condor also tells Anton about his blind wife - a former patient - whom the doctor married after he realized that he could not cure her, thereby taking responsibility for another person. Condor is trying to make the young man understand the difference between pity and helping another person, and the doctor says about Edith's state of health that the girl is now improving. Anton and Kekesfalva misinterpret Condor's words: the young man thinks that the doctor is sure of Edith's speedy recovery, and the father hastened to please his daughter. The doctor severely reprimands Anton for the false hope unwittingly given to the Kekesfalva family.

Gradually, Anton realizes that his acquaintance with the Kekesfalva family, which began with a pleasant pastime, began to weigh him down more and more. One day, Edith herself kisses Anton first, and this comes as a complete surprise to him. The young man does not know what to do next and, in particular, how to behave with Edith in the future and is not ready to take responsibility for her. Soon he receives love letters from Edith. She is aware of the hopelessness of her love, but hopes that they can be together when Edith gets better. Anton, who received the letters, is horrified by this unbidden passion. He decides to leave the service and leave Austria. Anton comes to Dr. Condor to say goodbye and confesses to him that he is no longer able to endure Edith's love, and he is more afraid of public opinion, and not of the girl's injury. Nevertheless, Dr. Condor manages to convince Anton to stay, because by his flight he signs Edith's death warrant. Anton agrees to stay until Edith leaves for Switzerland to continue the new course of treatment.

Soon Anton again comes to the Kekesfalva estate. He was determined to endure these eight days and not show Edith his feelings: fear and pity. However, he fails to pretend, to assure Edith of his love, and this causes "strange hostility" in the girl. Three days later, von Kekesfalva himself visits Anton, begging him to save Edith, to help her. Tormented by pity and compassion, Anton asks to tell Edith that they will be together when the girl recovers. Under pressure from Kekesfalva Condor, Anton agrees to be engaged to Edith. However, he still feels only compassion for her, not love, and fears the ridicule of his comrades. In addition, he is embarrassed by the Jewish origin of the girl's father, he is afraid of public opinion. When comrades in the barracks directly ask Anton if it is true that he is engaged to the daughter of Kekesfalva, he does not have the courage to confess, and he denies everything. Depressed, Anton decides to commit suicide, but meets a colonel, whom he tells about his lies. The colonel promises to settle everything and sends Anton to Chaslavice. Before the trip, Anton leaves a letter to Dr. Condor asking him to tell Edith everything. Nevertheless, Anton does not renounce the engagement, asks the girl for forgiveness and wants to stay with her, atoning for his cowardice, his lies.

Anton sends a telegram, which will not reach the addressee later. On the trip, Anton tries to call Kekesfalva's castle and Dr. Condor, but all lines are overloaded.

Edith, having not received news from the groom and accidentally hearing accusations in her direction, chooses the moment when Ilona does not have time to keep track of her, rushes down from the terrace of the castle and breaks to death.

Anton blames himself for what happened, reflecting on the fact that Edith was the only person who truly loved him, who really needed him. Tormented by remorse, Anton goes to the front, running away from life, looking for death in battle, but survives and at the age of 28 he is awarded the Order of Maria Theresa for his bravery in the war.

Years pass, Anton's life is gradually getting better, he mustered up the courage and began to live, allowing himself to forget about that old story with Edith. But one day in 1938, at the Vienna Opera, Anton Hofmiller accidentally sees Dr. Condor with his wife, a man “whose compassion was not a deadly weakness, like mine, but a saving power and self-sacrifice, the only one who could condemn me, the only one before whom I was ashamed!<…>from that moment I was finally convinced that no guilt can be forgotten as long as conscience remembers about it.

Story

In this novel, Stefan Zweig shows Austria-Hungary at the beginning of the 20th century on the eve of the First World War, describing the mores and social prejudices of that time. Like the author's best novels, the novel is replete with the smallest psychological nuances that reveal the feelings and motivations of the characters' actions. In the epigraph to his novel, Stefan Zweig wrote:

“There are two kinds of compassion. One is cowardly and sentimental, it is, in essence, nothing more than the impatience of the heart, in a hurry to get rid of the painful feeling at the sight of someone else's misfortune; it is not compassion, but only an instinctive desire to protect one's peace from the suffering of one's neighbor. But there is another compassion - true, which requires action, not sentiment, it knows what it wants, and is determined, suffering and compassionate, to do everything that is in human strength and even beyond them.

Criticism

In the novel "Impatience of the Heart" Stefan Zweig addresses the theme of life's duty and the life purpose of a person. Pictures of the army life of the provincial town of Austria-Hungary are depicted. Main character– Anton Hofmiller, 25 years old, decent, but ordinary person.

Life flows measuredly until chance intervenes in his fate. The pharmacist introduces him to the house of the rich Kekesfalva. An unpleasant surprise - a Jewish businessman Leopold Kanitz is hiding under the mask of a rich man. The only consolation is the daughter Edith - a smart, wonderful girl, but she is paralyzed.

Edith is a complex image and psychologically rich, she is capable of selfless love, but illness dooms feelings to unrequitedness. The novel is an analysis of the relationship of young people. The starting point is a ridiculous awkwardness when the hero invites the girl to dance.

She falls in love with Hoffmiller and does not doubt his reciprocal feeling, there is an increase in hope. Hoffmiller finds himself in a difficult position, pity for the girl prevents him from stopping this game, and he agrees to marry Edith, but secretly leaves the house. Edith could not stand betrayal.

The specifics of the problem - Zweig draws the tragedy of the heroes' delusion. Edith sees compassion as love. The hero turns out to be guilty without guilt. Compassion turns into cruelty. Dr. Condor talks about the existence of two kinds of compassion:

1) impatience of the heart - false compassion, which seeks to get rid of the feeling of guilt at the sight of other people's disasters;

2) true compassion, which requires action. The norm of personal behavior should be effective compassion, requiring specific actions. The hero's fault is inconsistency, in the end he becomes the actual killer of Edith.

Year of writing:

1938

Reading time:

Description of the work:

The Impatience of the Heart, written in 1938, was the only completed novel by the Austrian prose writer Stefan Zweig, which was published in 1939.

The work describes Austria-Hungary at the beginning of the 20th century, the events take place shortly before the First World War. Zweig shows what kind of morality reigned in the society of those times. There are many small details and psychological moments in the novel, thanks to which the author reveals the motivation of the characters and what they really feel.

Summary of the novel
Impatience of the heart

In 1938, the narrator accidentally met Anton Hofmiller, holder of the Order of Maria Theresa, who told him about what happened to him a quarter of a century ago, when he was twenty-five years old. The narrator wrote down his story, changing only the names and some small details in it, allowing you to guess who and what they are talking about.

Anton Hoffmiller was the son of a poor official burdened with a large family. He was sent to a military school, and at the age of eighteen he graduated from it. Thanks to a distant relative, he got into the cavalry. Service in this kind of troops is not within everyone's means, and the young man was surrounded by much more wealthy comrades. At the end of 1913, the squadron where he served was transferred from Yaroslavice to a small garrison town near the Hungarian border. In May 1914, a local pharmacist, who was also an assistant burgomaster, introduced Anton to the richest man in the area - Mr. von Kekesfalve, whose niece struck Anton with her beauty. Anton was invited to the house of the Kekesfalvas, and he was delighted with the warm welcome. He danced a lot with Kekesfalva's niece Ilona and with other girls, and only at half past ten he realized that he had forgotten about the owner's daughter and had not invited her to the waltz. Anton hurried to correct the mistake, but in response to his invitation, Edith Kekesfalva burst into tears. Anton could not understand what was the matter, and Ilona explained to him that Edith's legs were paralyzed and she could not take a step without crutches. Embarrassed, Anton hastened to leave.

He felt as if he had whipped a child with a whip and then ran away like a criminal without even trying to justify himself. To make amends, Anton bought a huge bouquet of roses with the last money and sent it to Edith. The girl answered him with a letter of thanks and invited him for a cup of tea. When Anton arrived, Edith and Ilona were delighted and received him as a dear friend. He began to visit them easily and became very attached to both, but Ilona seemed to him a real woman with whom he wanted to dance and kiss, and Edith, at seventeen or eighteen years old, looked like a child whom he wanted to caress and console. There was a strange uneasiness in Edith, her mood often changed. When Anton first saw how Edith moved, clinging to crutches and dragging her legs with difficulty, he was horrified. Unlimitedly suffering from her helplessness, she wanted to take revenge on the healthy, forcing them to look at her torment. Her father invited the most famous doctors in the hope that they would cure her - after all, five years ago she was a cheerful, mobile child. He asked Anton not to be offended by Edith: she is often harsh, but her heart is kind. Anton felt boundless compassion and even felt ashamed because of his health.

Once, when he was galloping on a horse, he suddenly thought that if Edith sees him from the window of the estate, then it may be painful for her to look at this race. He jerked the reins and gave his lancers the command to trot, and only when the estate was out of sight did he allow them to gallop again. Anton experienced a surge of ardent sympathy for the unfortunate sick girl, he even tried to brighten up her dreary life: seeing how the girls rejoiced at his arrival, he began to visit them almost every day: he told funny stories, entertained them as best he could. The host gratefully thanked him for restoring Edith's good mood and making her almost as cheerful as before. Anton learned that Ilona was engaged to a notary's assistant from Bechkeret and was waiting for Edith to recover or improve her condition in order to marry him - Anton guessed that Kekesfalva promised a dowry to a poor relative if she agreed to postpone the marriage. Therefore, the attraction to Ilona that had flared up quickly faded away, and his affection increasingly focused on Edith, destitute and defenseless. Friends began to tease Anton, who stopped attending their parties at the Red Lion: they say, of course, Kekesfalva has better treats. Seeing Anton's golden cigarette case - a gift from Ilona and Edith for his birthday - the comrades noticed that he had learned quite well how to choose his friends. With their ridicule, they deprived Anton of self-confidence. He felt like a giver, a helper, and then he suddenly saw how his relationship with the Kekesfalvas looked from the outside, and realized that many around him might consider his behavior by no means disinterested. He began to visit the Kekesfalvs less often. Edith was offended and made a scene for him, however, then she asked for forgiveness. In order not to upset the sick girl, Anton again frequented their estate. Kekesfalva asked Anton to ask Dr. Condor, who treated Edith, about what her chances of recovery really are: doctors often spare patients and their relatives and do not tell them the whole truth, and Edith is tired of uncertainty and loses her patience. Kekesfalva hoped that Dr. Condor would tell a stranger, like Anton, everything as it was. Anton promised, and after dinner at the Kekesfalvs, he went out with the Condor and struck up a conversation with him.

Condor told him that, first of all, he was not worried about the state of health of Edith, but of her father: the old man was so worried about his daughter that he lost his peace and sleep, and with his weak heart, this could end badly. Condor told Anton, who considered Kekesfalva a Hungarian aristocrat, that in fact Kekesfalva was born into a poor Jewish family and his real name was Lemmel Kanitz. As a child, he was an errand boy, but he gave every free minute to teaching and gradually began to carry out more and more serious assignments. At twenty-five, he was already living in Vienna and was an agent for a reputable insurance company. His awareness and range of his activities grew wider every year. From an intermediary, he turned into an entrepreneur and made a fortune. One day he was on a train from Budapest to Vienna. Pretending to be asleep, he overheard the conversation of his fellow travelers. They discussed the sensational case of the inheritance of Princess Oroshvar: the evil old woman, having quarreled with her relatives, left her entire fortune to her companion, Fraulein Ditzenhof, a modest downtrodden woman who patiently endured all her nit-picking and whims. The relatives of the princess managed to fool the impractical heiress, and from the millionth inheritance she had only the Kekesfalva estate, which she, most likely, would also miss. Kanitz decided without wasting time to go to the Kekesfalva estate and try to buy cheap from Fraulein Ditzenhoff a collection of ancient Chinese porcelain. He was opened by a woman whom he mistook for a servant, but it turned out that this was the new mistress of the estate. After talking with her, Kanitz realized that the unexpectedly fallen wealth is not a joy for this woman, not spoiled by life, but, on the contrary, a burden, because she does not know what to do with it. She said that she would like to sell the Kekesfalva estate. Hearing this, Kanitz immediately decided to buy it. He skillfully led the conversation and incorrectly translated the lawyer's letter from the Hungarian, as a result of which Fraulein Ditzenhof agreed to sell the estate for one hundred and fifty thousand crowns, considering this sum huge, while it was at least four times less than its real price. In order to prevent the gullible woman from coming to her senses, Kanitz hastened to go with her to Vienna and complete the paperwork as soon as possible. When the bill of sale was signed, Fraulein Ditzenhoff wanted to pay Kanitz for his efforts. He refused the money, and she began to warmly thank him. Kanitz felt remorse. Nobody ever thanked him, and he felt ashamed in front of the woman he had deceived. A successful deal ceased to please him. He decided to return the fraulein's estate if she one day regrets that she sold it. After buying a large box of chocolates and a bouquet of flowers, he showed up at the hotel where she was staying to tell her of his decision. Fraulein was touched by his attention, and he, having learned that she was going to go to Westphalia to distant relatives with whom nothing connected her, made her an offer. They got married two months later. Kanitz converted to Christianity, and then changed his surname to a more sonorous one - von Kekesfalva. The couple were very happy, they had a daughter, Edith, but his wife Kanitz had cancer and she died.

After no millions helped him save his wife, Kanitz began to despise money. He spoiled his daughter and threw money right and left. When Edith fell ill five years ago, Kanitz considered this a punishment for his previous sins and did everything to cure the girl. Anton asked Condor if Edith's illness was curable. Condor honestly said that he did not know: he is trying different means, but so far he has not achieved encouraging results. He had once read about Professor Vienneau's method and had written to him to find out if his method could be applied to a patient like Edith, but had not yet received an answer.

When, after a conversation with Condor, Anton approached the barracks, he saw Kekesfalva, who was waiting for him in the rain, for he was eager to find out what the doctor had said about Edith's state of health. Anton did not have the heart to disappoint the old man, and he said that Condor was going to try new method treatment and I am sure of success. Kekesfalva told Edith about everything, and the girl believed that she would soon be healthy. When he learned that Anton had reassured the patient on his behalf, Condor became very angry. He received a reply from Professor Vienno, from which it became clear that the new method was not suitable for the treatment of Edith. Anton began to convince him that to reveal the whole truth to Edith now means to kill her. It seemed to him that inspiration, high spirits could play a positive role, and the girl would feel at least a little better. Condor warned Anton that he was taking on too much responsibility, but this did not frighten Anton. Before going to bed, Anton opened the volume of fairy tales “A Thousand and One Nights” and read a tale about a lame old man who could not walk and asked the young man to carry him on his shoulders. But as soon as the old man, who was actually a genie, climbed onto the shoulders of the young man, he began to mercilessly drive him, not allowing him to rest. In a dream, the old man from the fairy tale acquired the features of Kekesfalva, and Anton himself turned into an unhappy young man. When he came to the Kekesfalva the next day, Edith announced to him that in ten days she was leaving for Switzerland for treatment. She asked when Anton would come there to visit them, and when the young man said that he had no money, she replied that her father would gladly pay for his trip. Pride did not allow Anton to accept such a gift. Edith began to find out why he even visits them, saying that she could not bear the general pity and indulgence. And suddenly she said that it was better to throw herself from the tower than to endure such an attitude. She was so excited that she wanted to hit Anton, but she could not stay on her feet and fell. Anton could not understand the reasons for her anger, but she soon asked for forgiveness, and when Anton was about to leave, she suddenly clung to him and kissed him passionately on the lips, Anton was stunned: it never occurred to him that a helpless girl, in fact a cripple, could love and want to be loved like any other woman. Later, Anton learned from Ilona that Edith had loved him for a long time, and Ilona, ​​in order not to upset her, all the time convinced her sick relative that Anton undoubtedly liked her. Ilona persuaded Anton not to disappoint the poor girl now, on the verge of recovery - after all, treatment would require a lot of strength from her. Anthony felt trapped.

He received a love letter from Edith, followed by another, where she asked him to destroy the first. From excitement during the exercises, Anton gave the wrong command and incurred the wrath of the colonel. Anton wanted to quit, leave Austria, even asked a friend to help him, and soon he was offered the position of assistant treasurer on a merchant ship. Anton wrote a letter of resignation, but then he remembered Edith's letters and decided to consult with Condor on what to do. He went to the doctor's home and was amazed to find that Condor was married to a blind woman, that he lived in a poor quarter and treated the poor from morning to night. When Anton told everything to Condor, he explained to him that if he, having turned the girl's head with his beautiful-hearted compassion, now runs away, it will kill her. Anton retreated from his decision to resign. He began to feel gratitude towards Edith for her love. When he still visited the Kekesfalves, he always felt in Edith's behavior a secret, greedy expectation. Anton counted the days until her departure for Switzerland: after all, this was supposed to bring him the desired freedom. But Ilona informed him that the departure was being postponed. Seeing that Anton did not feel anything for her but compassion, Edith changed her mind about being treated: after all, she wanted to be healthy only for his sake. Kekesfalva begged Anton on his knees not to reject Edith's love.

Anton tried to explain to him that everyone would certainly decide that he married Edith for the sake of money, and they would despise him, and Edith herself would not believe in the sincerity of his feelings and would think that he married her out of pity. He said that later, when Edith recovered, everything would be different. Kekesfalva seized on his words and asked permission to pass them on to Edith. Anton, firmly knowing that her illness was incurable, decided in no case to go further than this non-binding promise. Before leaving, Edith Anton came to the Kekesfalva and, when everyone raised their glasses to her health, in a surge of tenderness he hugged his old father and kissed the girl. So the engagement took place. Edith put a ring on Anton's finger so that he would think about her while she was gone. Anton saw that he gave people happiness, and rejoiced with them. When he was about to leave, Edith tried herself, without crutches, to guide him. She took a few steps, but lost her balance and fell. Instead of rushing to her aid, Anton recoiled in horror. He understood that right now he had to prove his loyalty to her, but he no longer had the strength to deceive and he cowardly fled.

Out of grief, he went to a cafe where he met friends. The pharmacist had already managed to tell them, according to one of Kekesfalva's servants, that Anton had become engaged to Edith. Anton, not knowing how to explain to them what he himself did not properly understand, said that this was not true. Realizing the depth of his betrayal, he wanted to shoot himself, but first decided to tell the colonel about everything. The colonel said that it was stupid to put a bullet in the forehead for such nonsense, in addition, it cast a shadow on the entire regiment. He promised to talk to everyone who heard Anton's words, and the next morning he sent Anton himself with a letter to Chaslavice to the local lieutenant colonel. The next morning Anton left.

His path lay through Vienna. He wanted to see Condor, but did not find him at home. He left a detailed letter to Condor and asked him to immediately go to Edith and tell her how he cowardly renounced the engagement. If Edith, in spite of everything, forgives him, the engagement will be sacred to him and he will forever remain with her, whether she recovers or not. Anton felt that from now on his whole life belongs to the girl who loves him. Fearing that Condor would not immediately receive his letter and would not have time to arrive at the estate by half past five, when Anton usually came there, he sent a telegram to Edith from the road, but she was not delivered to Kekesfalva: due to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the postal message was interrupted.

Anton managed to get through to Condor in Vienna, and he told him that Edith still found out about his betrayal. Seizing the moment, she threw herself from the tower and fell to her death.

Anton went to the front and became famous for his courage. In fact, the point was that he did not value life. After the war, he plucked up courage, consigned the past to oblivion and began to live like all people. Since no one reminded him of his guilt, he himself began to gradually forget about this tragic story. Only once the past reminded of itself. At the Vienna Opera, he noticed Dr. Condor and his blind wife sitting next to each other. He felt ashamed. He was afraid that the Condor would recognize him, and as soon as the curtain began to fall after the first act, he hastily left the hall. From that moment on, he was finally convinced that "no guilt can be forgotten as long as conscience remembers it."

Please note that summary The novel "Impatience of the Heart" does not reflect the full picture of events and characterization of the characters. We recommend you to read full version works.

This book describes the events that took place before the outbreak of the First World War. The novel is written from the perspective of a young Lieutenant Anton Hofmiller. This guy was brought up in a poor family. His parents had several other children besides him. Anton had to go to military service at a young age. However, by nature he was a child. He didn't have to make decisions on his own. All he did was follow orders. Anton understood that he did not have any prospects. Therefore, a monotonous life was a burden for him.

One day, a young military man meets Mr. von Kekesfalva. He turned out to be a very wealthy landowner. Von Kekesfalva invites the lieutenant to visit him. Thus, Anton meets his daughter Edith and niece Ilona. The young man quickly strikes up a conversation with Ilona. Young people have a very interesting time.

Then the guy remembered that he had completely forgotten about Edith. Deciding to correct the mistake, he invited the girl to dance. However, Edith began to cry. The young military man could not understand how he offended the daughter of the owner of the house.

Ilona explained to Anton that her cousin could only walk on crutches because her legs were paralyzed. The young man was confused. He had no choice but to leave the house. The lieutenant could not sleep all night.

Despite the fact that he had little money left, he bought a beautiful bouquet of flowers for the paralyzed girl and attached a note to him asking him to forgive his mistake.

Edith wrote to the young man that she was not angry with him. She also let him know that she wanted to see him in her house more often.

The young military man tries to visit Edith as often as possible. All family members treat him like family. Ilona tells Anton that she is going to marry her loved one, but her uncle asked her to postpone the wedding. After all, a sick daughter requires constant attention and care.

At first, the young military man liked to visit Kekesfalva and his daughter. In this house he was comfortable and cozy. Previously, he rarely had a chance to communicate with nice people. However, then his comrades began to mock Anton. They believed that he was attracted only by her condition. Thus, the young man began to fear public opinion.

Some time later, the doctor Condor arrives at Kekesfalva's house. Edith's father asks the young lieutenant to ask the doctor when his daughter will be able to walk again. The soldier was confused. However, it was difficult for him to refuse Kekesfalva anything. So he agreed to talk to Condor. The doctor, during a conversation with a young man, tells in detail about the life of Kekesfalva.

Anton also learns about Condor's blind wife. The doctor linked his fate with her after it became clear that she would never be able to see. It seemed to him that by his marriage he would help the unfortunate girl.

The doctor explains to Anton the difference between help and pity. Concerning the state of health of Edith Condor, he told the young lieutenant that she was a little better. The girl's father and Anton misunderstand the doctor's words. Kekesfalva hastened to please the girl.

The young military man gradually realizes that he no longer wants to communicate with the Kekesfalva family. When the paralyzed girl kissed him, it was a surprise to him.

The young man was confused. He knew he was incapable of taking responsibility for her life. Anton was constantly wondering what to do next. After some time, the girl began to literally bombard him with love messages. The young man was even more horrified. After all, he did not expect such passion!

Not knowing what to do, Anton decided to leave the service. He came to the conclusion that he had nothing more to do in Austria. The young man decides to have a frank conversation with the Condor. He told the doctor that he could no longer communicate with the paralyzed girl. At the same time, he is not worried about Edith's injury, but what others will think about him.

Condor inspired the young lieutenant that if he ran away, then the unfortunate girl would simply die. Thus, Anton realized that it was better for him to stay until Edith left for treatment in Switzerland.

Then the guy decided to visit the Kekesfalva estate again. He couldn't hide his pity from the girl. This aroused animosity in her. Then Edith's father began to ask him not to leave his daughter. Then the young lieutenant asked him to tell the girl that when she recovered, they would marry.

However, he fails to force himself to love Edith. In addition, he is embarrassed by the fact that the girl's father is a Jew. Anton is afraid of the opinions of others.

Comrades in the barracks ask Anton a question as to whether he is really going to marry Edith. He denies everything. Confused, the young lieutenant began contemplating suicide. However, he nevertheless confessed his lies to the colonel.

He decided to send him to Chaslavice. Before leaving, the young man leaves a message for Condor asking him to explain the whole situation to the paralyzed girl.

The Lieutenant does not refuse his engagement to Edith. He sent a telegram. However, it did not reach the addressee. During the trip, the young man calls Edith several times, but the connection does not work. The lines were busy.

The girl fell into depression due to the lack of news from her loved one. After waiting for the moment when Ilona left, she rushed from the terrace of the house and died.

When the young lieutenant found out what had happened, it finally dawned on him that this unfortunate girl was the only person who needed him. His conscience began to torment him.

Mukhametzyanova Kamilla, student of grade 8 A, MBOU gymnasium No. 90

“Very often a book that makes a deep impression on a young mind constitutes an era in a person’s life”

Smiles S.

My research work I dedicated to Stefan Zweig's novel Impatience of the Heart.

One day, when I opened the site "100 Most Significant Literary Works", I read reader reviews about this book. The responses were mixed, but all readers agreed that the novel is one of the best psychological works. This prompted me to take up this book.

My literary baggage is still quite small, and I discovered Stefan Zweig for the first time, but this book struck me with its insight, evoked so many emotions, feelings, and experiences in me. Carried away by reading, I completely went into the world of heroes, empathized and cried, sincerely resented with them, got angry and waited with bated breath for a further turn of events. The book is read, but the emotions and questions remain.

Taking the plot of the novel “Impatience of the Heart” as a basis, I set myself the goal: to find out what compassion is: the highest benefactor or a manifestation of frailty and weakness? How much in this feeling of kindness, and how much selfishness? Is compassion a productive feeling both for the one who sympathizes and for the one who is sympathized? And where are the boundaries at which one must stop in one's compassion?

The subject of the study were two heroes of the novel, Anton Hofmiller and Dr. Condor. To achieve the goal, I had to solve the following tasks:

1. Learn the dictionary entry for the word "compassion"

2. How great people define compassion

4. Analyze the character traits of the main characters of the novel.

5. Explore types of compassion.

6. Find out: which compassion is true and which is imaginary.

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City research conference of schoolchildren

"Intelligence. Career"

Section: Russian Philology

Topic: “Stefan Zweig’s novel “Impatience of the Heart”

Compassion, true and imaginary.”

Work completed:

Mukhametzyanova Camilla,

8th grade student

MBOU gymnasium No. 90

Scientific adviser:

Troshina Nadezhda Yakovlevna

higher education teacher

qualification category

MBOU "Gymnasium No. 90"

Sovietsky district

Kazan 2013

1. Introduction. Goals and objectives…………………......………............... …3
2. Brief summary of the novel………………………………………5
3. Characteristics of the main characters…………………………………..6
4. Comparative analysis of compassion…………………………….9
5. Great people about compassion ……………………… ……………..11
6. Conclusion……………………………………………………………12
7. Literature………………………………………………………….13

appreciated the manifestation of compassion. He characterized it as a source of happiness, as something that promotes better work of the mind and gives inner strength. He also identified 3 types of compassion:

• Aimed at relatives and loved ones, based on affection.
• Aimed at suffering beings and based on pity for them.
• Impartial, based on understanding and respect.

Reverend John of Damascus attributed compassion to one of the displeasures:

“Displeasure is of four kinds: grief, sadness, envy, compassion. Sorrow is a displeasure that produces a loss of voice; sadness - displeasure, constricting the heart; envy - displeasure experienced about other people's goods;compassion - displeasure experienced over the misfortunes of others.»

Compassion - a special quality of the human soul, the readiness to help one's neighbor without hesitation.
Encyclopedia of Esotericism

• Compassion is the outward expression of an active inner love for one's neighbor.
• Compassion is the willingness to feel and accept the pain of another person, physical or mental.
• Compassion is sensitivity and attentiveness to others, genuine respect for their interests and their experiences.
• Compassion is the ability under any conditions to act in such a way as not to cause harm to others.

The Benefits of Compassion

• Compassion gives opportunities - to the manifestation of the best human qualities.
• Compassion gives love - to people.
• Compassion gives understanding - biblical commandments.
• Compassion gives liberation - from anger and indifference.
• Compassion points the way - to the common good through the good of each person.
• Compassion gives joy - from the awareness of one's own capabilities in helping others around.

Showing Compassion in Everyday Life

• Bible. Much of it is about compassion; Compassion is especially emphasized in the Gospel of Luke.
• Volunteering and charity. People who, at the call of their hearts, help the weak, the infirm, the elderly, orphans, show compassion for them.
• Interpersonal relationships. A person who is characterized by the ability to sympathize with the troubles of loved ones and the willingness to help any of the people around him in trouble shows compassion.
• Hostilities. The ability to see the enemy soldiers not only enemies, but also people is a manifestation of compassion.

How to develop compassion

• Religion. Every religion teaches empathy and compassion; imbued with faith, a person cultivates compassion in himself.
• Reading spiritual literature. The more spiritually rich a person is, the more easily he shows compassion for others.
• Charity. By participating in charity events, a person cultivates the ability to sympathize with trouble.
• Interest and concern for people. Being attentive, showing a sincere interest in the people around, a person cultivates the ability to sympathize with them.
• Self improvement. To cultivate compassion in oneself means to consciously renounce indifference and all manifestations of selfishness.

Winged expressions about compassion

What rain is to fire, compassion is to anger.

Arthur Schopenhauer -

Compassion is not a feeling; it is rather a noble disposition of the soul, ready to receive love, mercy and other virtuous feelings.

Dante -

Compassion is mixed in with all the virtues that a person can have.

Bernardino of Siena -

Most often, compassion is the ability to see one's own misfortunes in others, it is a premonition of disasters that can befall us too.

La Rochefoucauld -

Compassion will heal more sins than condemnation.

Henry Ward Biger -

Compassion

Antonyms:

• cruelty

Slides captions:

Stefan Zweig's novel Impatience of the Heart. Compassion, true and imaginary The work was performed by Camilla Mukhametzyanova, a student of the 8th grade of the Gymnasium No. 90 of the Soviet District Teacher: Troshina N.Ya.

The purpose of the study: Find out what compassion is: the highest benefactor or a manifestation of frailty and weakness Tasks: 1. Find out how the word "compassion" is explained in linguistic dictionaries 2. Find out what great people think about compassion 3. Read critical articles about Zweig's novel 4. Analyze the character traits of the main characters of the novel 5. Explore the types of compassion 6 find out which compassion is true and which is imaginary

Dictionary Ozhegov Compassion - pity, sympathy caused by someone's misfortune, grief Philosophical Encyclopedia COMPASSION - instinctive participation in the pain and suffering of another person; in Buddhism and in Schopenhauer it is equated with a common experience, because suffering belongs to the main. the substance of the real; see Suffering, Love of neighbor.

Encyclopedia of Esotericism Compassion is the outward expression of an active inner love for one's neighbor. Compassion is the willingness to feel and accept the pain of another person, physical or mental. Compassion is sensitivity and attentiveness to others, genuine respect for their interests and their experiences. Compassion is the ability under any conditions to act in such a way as not to cause harm to others.

Synonyms: humanity, pity, mercy, compassion, compassion, condolence, regret, sympathy, participation

© Copyright: Sincere, 2009 In Stefan Zweig's novel - "Impatience of the Heart" - the whole urgent tragedy of the vices of the Soul, which at first glance are insignificant and airy, is openly shown. Such vices that eat up all the originality of the human spirit. One of them is self-deception, which carries with it (a thread) falsehood - to the world around. For the main one, he takes a very difficult topic: a feeling of compassion - true and cowardly, living in every, even the most greedy - Soul. Moreover, he touches on this topic in such a detailed and penetrating way that he involuntarily pulls at your insides.

GREAT PEOPLE ON COMPASSION Compassion is not a feeling; rather, it is a noble disposition of the soul, ready to receive other virtuous feelings. Dante Algieri Genuine compassion is empathy with the moral justification of the compassionate. Georg Hegel Compassion is the true basis of religion in its purest aspect and the spiritual force that has inspired religion in all ages with a burst of true creativity. Inayat Khan Hidayat Most often, compassion is the ability to see one's own misfortunes in others, it is a premonition of disasters that can befall us too. We help people so they can help us in turn. Our services are reduced simply to the good deeds that we do to ourselves ahead of time. Francois De La Rochefoucauld To understand something about compassion, you must first learn a lot about cruelty and indifference K.Czapek

What rain is to fire, compassion is to anger. Arthur Schopenhauer Compassion is not a feeling; it is rather a noble disposition of the soul, ready to receive love, mercy and other virtuous feelings. Dante - Compassion is mixed with all the virtues that a person can possess. Bernardino of Siena - Most often, compassion is the ability to see one's own in other people's misfortunes, it is a premonition of disasters that can befall us too. La Rochefoucauld - Compassion will heal more sins than condemnation. Henry Ward Biger -

Main characters, pictures

3 types of compassion: Directed to relatives and loved ones, based on affection. Aimed at suffering beings and based on pity for them. Impartial, based on understanding and respect

Benefits of Compassion: Compassion provides opportunities – for the manifestation of the best human qualities. Compassion gives love - to people. Compassion gives understanding - biblical commandments. Compassion gives liberation - from anger and indifference. Compassion points the way - to the common good through the good of each person. Compassion gives joy - from the awareness of one's own capabilities in helping others around.

Stefan Zweig

"Impatience of the Heart"

In 1938, the narrator accidentally met Anton Hofmiller, holder of the Order of Maria Theresa, who told him about what happened to him a quarter of a century ago, when he was twenty-five years old. The narrator wrote down his story, changing only the names and some small details in it, allowing you to guess who and what they are talking about.

Anton Hofmiller was the son of a poor official burdened with a large family. He was sent to a military school, and at the age of eighteen he graduated from it. Thanks to a distant relative, he got into the cavalry. Service in this kind of troops is not within everyone's means, and the young man was surrounded by much more wealthy comrades. At the end of 1913, the squadron where he served was transferred from Yaroslavice to a small garrison town near the Hungarian border. In May 1914, a local pharmacist, who was also an assistant burgomaster, introduced Anton to the richest man in the area, Mr. von Kekesfalve, whose niece struck Anton with her beauty. Anton was invited to the house of the Kekesfalvs, and he was delighted with the warm welcome. He danced a lot with Kekesfalva's niece Ilona and with other girls, and only at half past ten he realized that he had forgotten about the owner's daughter and had not invited her to the waltz. Anton hurried to correct the mistake, but in response to his invitation, Edith Kekesfalva burst into tears. Anton could not understand what was the matter, and Ilona explained to him that Edith's legs were paralyzed and she could not take a step without crutches. Embarrassed, Anton hastened to leave.

He felt as if he had whipped a child with a whip and then ran away like a criminal without even trying to justify himself. To make amends, Anton bought a huge bouquet of roses with the last money and sent it to Edith. The girl answered him with a letter of thanks and invited him for a cup of tea. When Anton arrived, Edith and Ilona were delighted and received him as a dear friend. He began to visit them easily and became very attached to both, but Ilona seemed to him a real woman with whom he wanted to dance and kiss, and Edith, at seventeen or eighteen years old, looked like a child whom he wanted to caress and console. Some strange anxiety was felt in Edith, her mood often changed. When Anton first saw how Edith moves, clinging to crutches and dragging her legs with difficulty, he was horrified. Infinitely suffering from her helplessness, she wanted to take revenge on the healthy, forcing them to look at her torment. Her father invited the most famous doctors in the hope that they would cure her - after all, five years ago she was a cheerful, mobile child. He asked Anton not to be offended by Edith: she is often harsh, but her heart is kind. Anton felt boundless compassion and even felt ashamed because of his health.

Once, when he was galloping on a horse, he suddenly thought that if Edith sees him from the window of the estate, then it may be painful for her to look at this race. He jerked the reins and gave his lancers the command to trot, and only when the estate was out of sight did he allow them to gallop again. Anton experienced a surge of ardent sympathy for the unfortunate sick girl, he even tried to brighten up her dreary life: seeing how the girls rejoiced at his arrival, he began to visit them almost every day: he told funny stories, entertained them as best he could. The host gratefully thanked him for restoring Edith's good mood and making her almost as cheerful as before. Anton found out that Ilona was engaged to a notary's assistant from Bechkeret and was waiting for Edith to recover or her condition to improve in order to marry him - Anton guessed that Kekesfalva promised a dowry to a poor relative if she agreed to postpone the marriage. Therefore, the attraction to Ilona that had flared up quickly faded away, and his affection increasingly focused on Edith, destitute and defenseless. Friends began to tease Anton, who stopped attending their parties at the Red Lion: they say, of course, Kekesfalva has better treats. Seeing Anton's golden cigarette case - a gift from Ilona and Edith for his birthday - the comrades noticed that he had learned quite well how to choose his friends. With their ridicule, they deprived Anton of self-confidence. He felt like a giver, a helper, and then he suddenly saw how his relationship with the Kekesfalvas looked from the outside, and realized that many around him might consider his behavior by no means disinterested. He began to visit the Kekesfalvs less often. Edith was offended and made a scene for him, however, then she asked for forgiveness. In order not to upset the sick girl, Anton again frequented their estate. Kekesfalva asked Anton to ask Dr. Condor, who treated Edith, about what her chances of recovery really are: doctors often spare patients and their relatives and do not tell them the whole truth, and Edith is tired of uncertainty and loses her patience. Kekesfalva hoped that Dr. Condor would tell a stranger, like Anton, everything as it was. Anton promised, and after dinner at the Kekesfalvs, he went out with the Condor and struck up a conversation with him.

Condor told him that, first of all, he was worried about the state of health not of Edith, but of her father: the old man was so worried about his daughter that he lost his peace and sleep, and with his weak heart, this could end badly. Condor told Anton, who considered Kekesfalva a Hungarian aristocrat, that in fact Kekesfalva was born into a poor Jewish family and his real name was Lemmel Kanitz. As a child, he was an errand boy, but he gave every free minute to teaching and gradually began to carry out more and more serious assignments. At twenty-five, he was already living in Vienna and was an agent for a reputable insurance company. His awareness and range of his activities grew wider every year. From an intermediary, he turned into an entrepreneur and made a fortune. One day he was on a train from Budapest to Vienna. Pretending to be asleep, he overheard the conversation of his fellow travelers. They discussed the sensational case of the inheritance of Princess Oroshvar: the evil old woman, having quarreled with her relatives, left her entire fortune to her companion, Fraulein Ditzenhof, a modest downtrodden woman who patiently endured all her nit-picking and whims. Relatives of the princess managed to fool the impractical heiress, and from the millionth inheritance she had only the Kekesfalva estate, which she, most likely, would also miss. Kanitz decided to go to the Kekesfalva estate without wasting time and try to buy a collection of ancient Chinese porcelain from Fraulein Ditzenhoff cheaply. He was opened by a woman whom he mistook for a servant, but it turned out that this was the new mistress of the estate. After talking with her, Kanitz realized that the unexpectedly fallen wealth is not a joy for this woman, not spoiled by life, but, on the contrary, a burden, because she does not know what to do with it. She said that she would like to sell the Kekesfalva estate. Hearing this, Kanitz immediately decided to buy it. He skillfully led the conversation and incorrectly translated the lawyer's letter from Hungarian, as a result of which Fraulein Ditzenhof agreed to sell the estate for one hundred and fifty thousand crowns, considering this amount huge, while it was at least four times less than its real price. In order to prevent the gullible woman from coming to her senses, Kanitz hastened to go with her to Vienna and complete the paperwork as soon as possible. When the bill of sale was signed, Fraulein Ditzenhoff wanted to pay Kanitz for his efforts. He refused the money, and she began to warmly thank him. Kanitz felt remorse. Nobody ever thanked him, and he felt ashamed in front of the woman he had deceived. A successful deal ceased to please him. He decided to return the fraulein's estate if she one day regrets that she sold it. After buying a large box of chocolates and a bouquet of flowers, he showed up at the hotel where she was staying to tell her of his decision. Fraulein was touched by his attention, and he, having learned that she was going to go to Westphalia to distant relatives with whom nothing connects her, made her an offer. They got married two months later. Kanitz converted to Christianity, and then changed his surname to a more sonorous one - von Kekesfalva. The couple were very happy, they had a daughter, Edith, but his wife Kanitz had cancer and she died.

After no millions helped him save his wife, Kanitz began to despise money. He spoiled his daughter and threw money right and left. When Edith fell ill five years ago, Kanitz considered this a punishment for his previous sins and did everything to cure the girl. Anton asked Condor if Edith's illness was curable. Condor honestly said that he did not know: he is trying different means, but so far he has not achieved encouraging results. He had once read about Professor Vienneau's method and had written to him to find out if his method could be applied to a patient like Edith, but had not yet received an answer.

When, after a conversation with Condor, Anton approached the barracks, he saw Kekesfalva, who was waiting for him in the rain, because he was eager to find out what the doctor had said about Edith's state of health. Anton did not have the courage to disappoint the old man, and he said that Condor was going to try a new method of treatment and was confident of success. Kekesfalva told Edith about everything, and the girl believed that she would soon be healthy. Upon learning that Anton had reassured the patient on his behalf, Condor became very angry. He received a reply from Professor Vienno, from which it became clear that the new method was not suitable for the treatment of Edith. Anton began to convince him that to reveal the whole truth to Edith now means to kill her. It seemed to him that inspiration, high spirits could play a positive role, and the girl would feel at least a little better. Condor warned Anton that he was taking on too much responsibility, but this did not frighten Anton. Before going to bed, Anton opened the volume of fairy tales “A Thousand and One Nights” and read a fairy tale about a lame old man who could not walk and asked the young man to carry him on his shoulders. But as soon as the old man, who was actually a genie, climbed onto the shoulders of the young man, he began to mercilessly drive him, not allowing him to rest. In a dream, the old man from the fairy tale acquired the features of Kekesfalva, and Anton himself turned into an unhappy young man. When he came to the Kekesfalva the next day, Edith announced to him that in ten days she was leaving for Switzerland for treatment. She asked when Anton would come there to visit them, and when the young man said that he had no money, she replied that her father would gladly pay for his trip. Pride did not allow Anton to accept such a gift. Edith began to find out why he even visits them, saying that she could not bear the general pity and indulgence. And suddenly she said that it was better to throw herself from the tower than to endure such an attitude. She was so excited that she wanted to hit Anton, but she could not stay on her feet and fell. Anton could not understand the reasons for her anger, but she soon asked for forgiveness, and when Anton was about to leave, she suddenly clung to him and kissed him passionately on the lips, Anton was stunned: it never occurred to him that a helpless girl, in fact, a cripple, could love and desire to be loved like any other woman. Later, Anton learned from Ilona that Edith had long loved him, and Ilona, ​​in order not to upset her, all the time convinced her sick relative that Anton undoubtedly liked her. Ilona persuaded Anton not to disappoint the poor girl now, on the verge of recovery - after all, treatment would require a lot of strength from her. Anthony felt trapped.

He received a love letter from Edith, followed by another, where she asked him to destroy the first. From excitement during the exercises, Anton gave the wrong command and incurred the wrath of the colonel. Anton wanted to quit, leave Austria, even asked a friend to help him, and soon he was offered the position of assistant treasurer on a merchant ship. Anton wrote a letter of resignation, but then he remembered Edith's letters and decided to consult with Condor on what to do. He went to the doctor's home and was amazed to find that Condor was married to a blind woman, that he lived in a poor quarter and treated the poor from morning till night. When Anton told everything to Condor, he explained to him that if he, having turned the girl's head with his beautiful-hearted compassion, now runs away, it will kill her. Anton retreated from his decision to resign. He began to feel gratitude towards Edith for her love. When he was still with the Kekesfalves, he always felt in Edith's behavior a secret, greedy expectation. Anton counted the days until her departure to Switzerland: after all, this was supposed to bring him the desired freedom. But Ilona informed him that the departure was being postponed. Seeing that Anton did not feel anything for her but compassion, Edith changed her mind about being treated: after all, she wanted to be healthy only for his sake. Kekesfalva begged Anton on his knees not to reject Edith's love. Anton tried to explain to him that everyone would certainly decide that he married Edith for the sake of money, and they would despise him, and Edith herself would not believe in the sincerity of his feelings and would think that he married her out of pity. He said that later, when Edith recovered, everything would be different. Kekesfalva seized on his words and asked permission to pass them on to Edith. Anton, firmly knowing that her illness was incurable, decided in no case to go further than this non-binding promise. Before leaving, Edith Anton came to the Kekesfalva and, when everyone raised their glasses to her health, in a surge of tenderness he hugged his old father and kissed the girl. So the engagement took place. Edith put a ring on Anton's finger so that he would think about her while she was gone. Anton saw that he gave people happiness, and rejoiced with them. When he was about to leave, Edith tried herself, without crutches, to guide him. She took a few steps, but lost her balance and fell. Instead of rushing to her aid, Anton recoiled in horror. He understood that right now he had to prove his loyalty to her, but he no longer had the strength to deceive and he cowardly fled.

Out of grief, he went to a cafe where he met friends. The pharmacist had already managed to tell them, according to one of Kekesfalva's servants, that Anton had become engaged to Edith. Anton, not knowing how to explain to them what he himself did not properly understand, said that this was not true. Realizing the depth of his betrayal, he wanted to shoot himself, but first decided to tell the colonel about everything. The colonel said that it was stupid to put a bullet in the forehead for such nonsense, in addition, it cast a shadow on the entire regiment. He promised to talk to everyone who heard Anton's words, and the next morning he sent Anton himself with a letter to Chaslavice to the local lieutenant colonel. The next morning Anton left.

His path lay through Vienna. He wanted to see Condor, but did not find him at home. He left a detailed letter to the Condor and asked him to immediately go to Edith and tell her how he cowardly renounced the engagement. If Edith, in spite of everything, forgives him, the engagement will be sacred to him and he will forever remain with her, whether she recovers or not. Anton felt that from now on his whole life belongs to the girl who loves him. Fearing that Condor would not immediately receive his letter and would not have time to arrive at the estate by half past four, when Anton usually came there, he sent a telegram to Edith from the road, but she was not delivered to Kekesfalva: due to the murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the postal the message has been aborted. Anton managed to get through to Condor in Vienna, and he told him that Edith still found out about his betrayal. Seizing the moment, she threw herself from the tower and fell to her death.

Anton went to the front and became famous for his courage. In fact, the point was that he did not value life. After the war, he plucked up courage, consigned the past to oblivion and began to live like all people. Since no one reminded him of his guilt, he himself began to gradually forget about this tragic story. Only once the past reminded of itself. At the Vienna Opera, he noticed Dr. Condor and his blind wife sitting next to each other. He felt ashamed. He was afraid that the Condor would recognize him, and as soon as the curtain began to fall after the first act, he hastily left the hall. From that moment on, he was finally convinced that "no guilt can be forgotten as long as conscience remembers it."

Anton Hoffmiller, at the age of fifty, being a Knight of the Order of Maria Theresa, was enveloped in childhood memories, starting to tell the story of his love. His father, a poor official, had a large family. Anton himself was sent to a military school, from which he graduated at eighteen. Then he went to serve in the cavalry. In 1913, his squadron was transferred to Yaroslavitsa, on the Hungarian border. After a year of service, Anton is introduced to Mr. von Kekesfalve, whose niece, Ilona, ​​immediately sunk into the soul of the guy. He is invited to a reception, where he spends the evening dancing with the girls, Ilona, ​​and, because of the fun, completely forgets to invite Kekesfalve's daughter, Edith, to dance. Rushing to correct the mistake, he approached her and invited her to dance, but in response the girl only burst into tears. As it turned out, he was paralyzed and, at eighteen, moved on crutches. Ashamed of his act, Anton leaves the master's estate. Wanting to apologize, he buys flowers and sends them to Edith, for which he receives an invitation to drink tea in return. Edith and Ilona accepted Hofmiller with pleasure, and the guy began to visit the girls more often. In Ilona, ​​the cavalier saw real woman, with whom he wanted to spend a lot of time, but he was embarrassed by Edith, who had frequent mood swings, and when he saw how she moved on crutches, all the desire to get closer to the girl simply disappeared. Mr. von Kekesfalve asked Anton not to react too sharply to these changes, because the girl was only five years old, as she became an invalid, being before that a very cheerful person.

The visits of the young cavalier brought joy to Edith, and Anton began to visit more often, count every day. He learns that Ilona is already engaged, and, saddened, switches to Edith in order to cheer up the girl. But because of the jealousy of friends for the new attraction of their colleague, Anton saw himself from the outside and began to visit the girls less often. Having met on the Kekesfalve street, Anton was surprised, but the gentleman only wanted to ask the guy to find out about the state of health of his daughter from her attending physician Condor. The guy agreed, met with the doctor and found out that while his technique is not effective, it does not benefit the girl, but Condor subtracted about the new remedy and gave a request, but the answer has not yet come. Not wanting to upset the old man Kekesfalve, Anton, meeting with him, said that the new doctor's technique should help Edith recover. The guy's words encouraged the girl, but the long-awaited answer came to the doctor, indicating that the new technique was not suitable for Edith's case. Anton asked Condor not to tell this to Edith, because the truth could kill her. Going to visit the girls, the guy learns that in ten days they are going to Switzerland, where Edith will be treated. Having stayed until the evening and about to leave, Edith suddenly becomes angry with Anton, then apologizes, and passionately kisses him on the lips. Such an act discouraged the young man, but Ilona asks him to reciprocate, because Edith has long been in love with him and, when she had the chance to get back on her feet after treatment, she should be full of strength. The guy was trapped.

Hofmiller began to count the days until his departure, but he learns from Ilona that because of his cold relationship with Edith, the girl refused to go. The old man Kekesfalve begs the guy to persuade his daughter to go for treatment. Anton promised that he would convince her by making her a marriage proposal. Just before leaving, the engagement of the young people took place on the estate, at which Edith put a ring on Anton, so that she would not forget about her future wife when she was on treatment.

Confused for his actions, Antov turned to his colonel for help, and already in the morning the guy, with a letter of direction, went to Chaslavitsa to the local colonel. Upon learning of the betrayal of her beloved, Edith chose the moment and jumped off the tower, breaking to death.

Anton went to war, where he became famous for his courage. After the front, he began to forget his past, but when he met Condor at the opera, he was afraid that he would recognize him, and Anton realized that "no guilt can be forgotten as long as conscience remembers it."