Believing himself free after his estranged wife's death abroad, Lavretsky falls in love with the devout young Liza, only for his wife to reappear alive, forcing a quiet renunciation on them both.
Books mentioned in A House of Gentlefolk (2)
Symbols and Emblems by Nestor Maksimovich-Ambodik: “On Sundays, after mass, he was allowed to play, that is to say, he was given a thick book, a mysterious book, the work of a certain Maimovitch-Ambodik, entitled "Symbols and Emblems." This book was a medley of about a thousand mostly very enigmatical pictures, and as many enigmatical interpretations of them in five languages.”
Obermann by Étienne Pivert de Senancour: “"Have you read Obermann, Lisaveta Mihalovna?" Panshin asked her pensively.”
Books that mention A House of Gentlefolk (1)
The Secret City by Hugh Walpole: “a tattered copy of Turgenieff's House of Gentle-folks”