Too Rich: A Romance

In Short

Set against the backdrop of fashionable promenades and remote Alpine castles, this novel explores the courtship of an incredibly wealthy heiress, Eva Schommer. Surrounded by fortune-hunters and social climbers, Eva must distinguish between genuine affection and predatory greed. When a principled, impoverished officer named Leo von Heydeck enters her orbit, their mutual attraction is stifled by his intense discomfort with her status. The book captures the rigid class anxieties of the late nineteenth century, offering a drama of integrity, manipulation, and the hard-won clarity that follows the loss of illusions.

The Story

Eva Schommer is a young woman of vast wealth, living in a world where her fortune is a target. She is pursued by the scheming Herr von Bertram, an opportunist egged on by his aunt, Madame von Sturmhaupt. Eva sees through their performance, despising Bertram’s mercenary motives, yet she remains trapped in their social circle to protect her friend, Aline.

The narrative shifts to include Leo von Heydeck, a man of noble principle who has clashed with the military establishment over his refusal to engage in dueling. Bertram, hoping to secure his own future through marriage, picks a fight with Leo, ultimately forcing a public confrontation. Leo finds an unexpected ally in Paul Delmar, a man even wealthier than Eva, whose cynicism masks a sharp, tactical mind. Delmar exposes Bertram’s duplicity, eventually driving the disgraced suitor from town by leveraging evidence of his financial crimes.

As the action moves to the dramatic, isolated setting of Castle Reifenstein in the Tyrol, the focus turns to family legacies and hidden pasts. Leo, having left the military to preserve his honor, journeys to meet his kin. There, he encounters the mysterious and sullen Herr von Heydeck, his uncle, whose life is overshadowed by a dark history involving a dead wife and an unwanted child. Amidst this tense atmosphere, Leo meets his cousin, the radiant Hilda.

The resolution arrives as Delmar, acting with his characteristic, ruthless efficiency, secures his own happiness by proposing to Hilda, effectively bridging the social divide with his immense resources. Meanwhile, Eva and Leo are finally freed from the artificial constraints of their previous encounters. As the webs of manipulation spun by the likes of Bertram and the unscrupulous Dr. Putzer are cleared away, the protagonists are left to navigate the reality of their feelings without the interference of social artifice. The story concludes with the triumph of character over circumstance, as the characters find that the "too rich" label of the title is more a burden to be discarded than an asset to be guarded.

How It Unfolds

The social dance Eva navigates the stifling atmosphere of high society in K----, where her every move is scrutinized and her wealth makes her a target for the manipulative Madame von Sturmhaupt and her nephew, Bertram.

The clash of codes Leo von Heydeck, an officer of high moral conviction, finds his career jeopardized when he refuses to uphold the "savage relic" of dueling, leading to a public confrontation with the predatory Bertram.

The Alpine retreat The narrative moves to the secluded, fortress-like Castle Reifenstein, where family secrets and the legacy of an embittered, cowardly uncle create a tense environment for the visiting Leo and his friend Delmar.

The unraveling of schemes Delmar, using his own fortune and insight, methodically dismantles Bertram’s web of forgery and lies, forcing the villain out of the circle while clearing the path for the remaining characters to find clarity.

The People

Eva Schommer is the central figure, possessing both a vast fortune and a sharp, defensive intelligence. She is guarded, having learned that most people desire her money rather than her company. Her growth lies in moving from cold suspicion to a vulnerability that allows for real connection.

Leo von Heydeck serves as the moral anchor. Forced into a military life he finds barbaric, he ultimately sacrifices his career for his convictions. He views Eva through the lens of his own pride, struggling with the idea that he, a man of modest means, could ever be a suitable match for the "too rich" heiress.

Paul Delmar is the novel’s most compelling engine. A wealthy egoist who acts for his own amusement, he nonetheless serves as a brutal force of truth. He cuts through the social affectations of others, playing the role of a puppet master who ultimately clears the way for the happiness of those he considers his few true friends.

Herr von Bertram represents the antithesis of honor. Driven by debt and a fear of the consequences of his own forgery, he is the classic villain whose every gesture is rehearsed and hollow.

Hilda von Heydeck acts as a foil to Eva. Bright, cheerful, and untroubled by the cynicism of the city, she represents a simpler, more authentic mode of living that draws both Leo and Delmar toward her.

In Its Own Voice

"I thought Fraeulein Schommer called,--indeed, indeed, that was why I came!"

Nanette, a housemaid, attempts to deflect her mistress’s accusation that she was eavesdropping on private conversations.

"A severe but perfectly correct summary of the heiress's character."

Delmar confirms Leo’s harsh judgment of Eva during a moment of cynical camaraderie.

"He could not love: he could only hate,--hate with all his soul!"

Leo realizes the depth of his uncle’s bitterness upon observing his behavior at the castle.

What It's Really About

The central argument concerns the corrupting influence of both excessive wealth and the social games played by those who covet it. The book asks whether a person can ever be truly known when their public identity is defined by their bank account. It argues that character is only revealed through adversity—specifically, through the refusal to play by the "savage" rules of status and pride. The title suggests that the possession of extreme wealth acts as a barrier, trapping individuals in a cycle of suspicion, while the act of discarding that status—or treating it as irrelevant—is the only path to genuine human connection.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the slow-burn pacing of Victorian-era European fiction will find this a rewarding study of manners and morality. It feels like a crisp, well-plotted stage play, with distinct settings—from the stifling parlors of the city to the looming, ancient architecture of the Tyrol—that help ground the internal struggles of the characters.

The prose is precise and carries a certain moral gravity that is characteristic of the era's translated German literature. However, modern readers should be prepared for the period-specific attitudes toward class and the rigid, often fatalistic views on honor and dueling. The dialogue can feel performative, as the characters are constantly testing one another, but this is clearly intended to highlight the artificiality of their social world. It is a book for those who like their romances tempered by intellectual rigor and a bit of cold, calculating wit. What stays with you is the tension between the characters’ external social masks and the desperate, quiet humanity they try to hide. It is a thoughtful exploration of how we define ourselves when the world insists on defining us by our possessions.