Quicksands

A quiet summer forest offers little relief to Egon von Ernau, a wealthy young man exhausted by the pleasures and conventions of his social world. In Adolf Streckfuss's novel, a voice singing beside a lake interrupts his darkest thoughts and draws him out of his secluded resting place. The opening sets the beauty of the countryside against his restless discontent, introducing a story in which outward comfort offers no guarantee of purpose.

Later, at the Osternau household, music becomes a way to test sincerity. Bertha challenges Egon to demonstrate the artistic standards he has defended, and his playing gives expression to gratitude and new contentment. Polite compliments, flashes of irritation and a spontaneous performance expose tensions beneath formal conversation. Translated from German by Mrs. A. L. Wister, the novel suits readers interested in social manners, emotional renewal and the difference between technical accomplishment and expressive art.