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| Original Title | 湖畔 |
|---|---|
| Author | 久生 十蘭 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | A disgraced nobleman’s confession unravels a haunting tale of love, betrayal, and fractured identity. After confessing to murdering his wife at a secluded lakeside villa, he is acquitted by reason of insanity—only to face new charges that threaten his fragile freedom. Tormented by a lifetime of aristocratic pretense and emotional isolation, he resolves to vanish entirely, severing ties to a world that shaped him into a "puppet of vulgar opinions." His past unfolds in fragments: a loveless childhood under a tyrannical father, years of dissolute exile in Europe, and a disfiguring duel that left him alienated and paranoid. Yet one memory lingers—a fleeting encounter with Tō, a woman whose sincerity shattered his cynicism. Their marriage, initially a refuge, spirals into mutual misunderstanding and tragedy. When her alleged infidelity drives him to violence, he confronts a corpse that may not be hers, blurring guilt and redemption. Now, pursued by ghosts of duty and desire, he plots an escape into oblivion—but can he outrun the truth? |