The golden journey of Mr. Paradyne

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

78127

Title

The golden journey of Mr. Paradyne

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

A witty, philosophical fable about a weary British barrister who, after a mysterious midnight walk, awakens in a gypsy caravan in rural France. Abandoning his rigid, soul-killing life in London, he embraces a vibrant existence of music, nature, and passion, discovering that true life lies beyond the confines of duty and convention.

Summary up to 500 words

In William John Locke's *The Golden Journey of Mr. Paradyne*, the narrative follows Cosmo Paradyne, K.C., a forty-two-year-old barrister of immense intellect but profound spiritual emptiness. His life in London is defined by rigid routine, dry legal cases like 'Phillibert v. Phillibert,' and a marriage to Martha, whom he views merely as a 'cosmic condition' rather than a partner. On the night of his daughter Viola's wedding, exhausted and haunted by a forgotten legal appointment, Cosmo takes a midnight walk. Fascinated by the music of a mysterious young musician playing a silver flageolet in his garden, Cosmo follows the stranger. He awakens the next morning in a gypsy caravan near Chartres, France, clad only in a flannel shirt. Initially terrified that he has lost his memory or vanished, Cosmo discovers documents proving he has been living as a hawker for three months. He has sold his London life, acquired a horse and caravan, and immersed himself in the rustic life of La Beauce. He learns to cook, ride, and play the flute, experiencing a physical and emotional rebirth he had never known. He falls in love with the vitality of the countryside and a wild, dark-eyed gypsy girl, realizing for the first time that his previous existence was a 'living death.' Despite his wife's earlier cryptic remark about him being a 'dead man,' Cosmo is now alive. However, the pull of his old life remains; he feels the weight of his responsibilities and the fear of leaving his wife behind. Yet, the allure of the 'Golden Journey' is irresistible. He decides to leave the caravan, sell his horse, and return to England to face his wife and his legal duties, believing he must now live with the knowledge of what he has lost. The narrative concludes with him marching south toward Italy and Sicily, having irrevocably changed his trajectory, choosing a path of freedom and experience over the safety of his former, sterile existence.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Adventure
• Fiction