Beware of Pity

"StefanZweigwasadarkandunorthodoxartist;it'sgoodtohavehimback."--SalmanRushdieThegreatAustrianwriterStefanZweigwasamasteranatomistofthedeceitfulheart,andBewareofPity,theonlynovelhepublishedduringhislifetime,uncoverstheseedofselfishnesswithineventhefinestoffeelings.Hofmiller,anAustro-Hungariancavalryofficerstationedattheedgeoftheempire,isinvitedtoapartyatthehomeofarichlocallandowner,aworldawayfromthedrearyroutineofthebarracks.Thesurroundingsareglamorous,wineflowsfreely,andtheexhilaratedyoungHofmilleraskshishost'slovelydaughterforadance,onlytodiscoverthatsicknesshasleftherpainfullycrippled.Itisaminorblunderthatwilldestroyhislife,aspityandguiltgraduallyimplicatehiminawell-meaningbuttragicallywrongheadedplottorestoretheunhappyinvalidtohealth.