'The Quest' by Pío Baroja is a novel that begins with an enigmatic hour in the late night. As the clocks chime and time weaves its elusive tapestry, the lives of the characters unfold in a boarding house filled with secrets and desires. Doña Casiana, the landlady, yearns for a different kind of establishment, while Petra, the servant, navigates the night's events with a mix of weariness and curiosity. Amidst quarrels, clandestine encounters, and the ever-present cricket's song, tensions rise and dreams clash in this atmospheric tale.