The Master of Silence: A Romance

A young apprentice sent away to learn his trade adjusts to menial work and solitary evenings until a mysterious, nearly silent stranger appears and brings upheaval. Taken into the care of an elderly relative, the narrator gradually learns that the stranger possesses uncanny perceptive abilities, including access to dreams and powerful influence over others, and displays extraordinary physical strength. Through close observation and conversations with his relative, the narrator confronts questions about upbringing, the shaping of mind and character, and the moral responsibilities of those who guide children, while a series of uncanny episodes reveals the stranger's unsettling talents.