La trovatella di Milano

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

21420

Title

La trovatella di Milano

Language

it

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Set in 1889 Milan, Carolina Invernizio's historical romance follows Maria, a virtuous glove-maker haunted by a mysterious stranger. As she uncovers a web of betrayal involving her mother's past and a nobleman's infidelity, Maria must choose between vengeance and forgiveness. Blending passion, social commentary, and emotional drama, this tale explores themes of honor, redemption, and the enduring power of love against societal constraints.

Summary up to 500 words

The story opens in 1889 with Maria, a beautiful and independent glove-maker in Milan, whose quiet life is shattered by the arrival of a masked stranger fleeing pursuers. He reveals himself as Gabriele, a young man wrongfully accused of seduction by a nobleman, Diego Tiani. Maria hides him, but their bond deepens as she learns of his innocence and the cruel deception that ruined his reputation. The narrative flashes back to 1848, during Milan's Five Days of revolution, introducing Annetta Durini, a brave woman who lost her husband in the fight for liberty. Years later, she discovers a young orphan, Maria, whom she adopts. However, Maria's past is dark: she was once the victim of Diego's schemes, which led to her temporary disgrace. When Gabriele is falsely accused of seducing Maria, Diego manipulates the situation to destroy both their lives. Diego, a wealthy but unfaithful husband, lives in a villa with his cold wife, Adriana, who suffers from a deep, inexplicable hatred for him. Adriana's misery intensifies when she learns of Diego's infidelity and the tragic history involving Maria and Gabriele. The tension escalates as Diego returns home, enraged and intent on punishing his wife, while Adriana and Maria plot to expose the truth. In a climactic confrontation, Maria reveals the full extent of Diego's treachery, including his role in the downfall of Adriana's family and his own moral corruption. Adriana, driven to madness by the revelation that her husband is a spy and her father-in-law a traitor, succumbs to a nervous breakdown and dies. Before passing, she begs her father to find the abandoned girl she once knew, a plea that leads to further tragedy. Following Adriana's death, Gabriele attempts to take his own life at her grave but is stopped by Maria. She convinces him to live on for her sake and to honor Adriana's memory. Maria, having rejected her biological father who tried to claim her, chooses to remain with her adoptive mother, Annetta, and the memory of her true love. The novel concludes with Maria and Gabriele finding solace in prayer and mutual support, having survived the trials of betrayal and loss. Through its rich historical setting and complex characters, the novel critiques the hypocrisy of high society and celebrates the resilience of the human spirit.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/21420.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg21420.epub

Removed after upload

Downloaded at

2026-07-06 05:20 UTC

Categories

• Fiction