DreamsDreamsby Jerome K. Jerome1- Page 2-DreamsThe most extraordinary dream I ever had was one in which I fanciedthat, as I was going into a theater, the cloak-room attendant stopped me inthe lobby and insisted on my leaving my legs behind me.I was not surprised; indeed, my acquaintanceship with theater harpieswould prevent my feeling any surprise at such a demand, even in mywaking moments; but I was, I must honestly confess, considerably...　

The Ball at Sceauxby Honore de BalzacTranslated by Clara BellTo Henri de Balzac, his brother Honore.The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou,had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during thewar in La Vendee against the Republic. After having escaped all thedangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormyperiod of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, "I am one of themen who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne." Andthe pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for deadat the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins. Though ruined by...　

The Black Dwarfby Walter ScottCONTENTS.I. Tales of my Landlord- Introduction by "Jedediah Cleishbotham"II. Introduction to THE BLACK DWARFIII. Main text of THE BLACK DWARFI. TALES OF MY LANDLORDCOLLECTED AND REPORTED BY JEDEDIAH CLEISHBOTHAM,SCHOOLMASTER AND PARISH-CLERK OF GANDERCLEUGH.INTRODUCTION.As I may, without vanity, presume that the name and official description prefixed to this Proem will secure it, from the sedate and reflecting part of mankind, to whom only I would be understood to address myself, such attention as is due to the sedulous instructor of youth, and the careful performer of my Sabbath duties, I will forbear to hold up a candle to the daylight, or to point out　

RECOLLECTIONS OF THE PRIVATE LIFE OF NAPOLEON, V4BY CONSTANTPREMIER VALET DE CHAMBRETRANSLATED BY WALTER CLARKCONTENTS:CHAPTER XXIII. to CHAPTER XXXI.CHAPTER XXIII.It was the 2d of January, 1805, exactly a month after the coronation,that I formed with the eldest daughter of M. Charvet a union which hasbeen, and will I trust ever be, the greatest happiness of my life. Ipromised the reader to say very little of myself; and, in fact, how couldhe be interested in any details of my own private life which did notthrow additional light upon the character of the great man about whom Ihave undertaken to write? Nevertheless, I will ask permission to return...　

FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSENTHE FLYING TRUNKby Hans Christian AndersenTHERE was once a merchant who was so rich that he could have pavedthe whole street with gold, and would even then have had enough fora small alley. But he did not do so; he knew the value of money betterthan to use it in this way. So clever was he, that every shilling heput out brought him a crown; and so he continued till he died. His soninherited his wealth, and he lived a merry life with it; he went toa masquerade every night, made kites out of five pound notes, andthrew pieces of gold into the sea instead of stones, making ducks...　

THE YELLOW DWARFOnce upon a time there lived a queen who had been themother of a great many children, and of them all only onedaughter was left. But then SHE was worth at least a thousand.Her mother, who, since the death of the King, herfather, had nothing in the world she cared for so much asthis little Princess, was so terribly afraid of losing her thatshe quite spoiled her, and never tried to correct any of herfaults. The consequence was that this little person, whowas as pretty as possible, and was one day to wear a crown,grew up so proud and so much in love with her own beautythat she despised everyone else in the world....　

A Prince of Bohemiaby Honore de BalzacTranslated by Clara Bell and othersDEDICATIONTo Henri Heine.I inscribe this to you, my dear Heine, to you that represent inParis the ideas and poetry of Germany, in Germany the lively andwitty criticism of France; for you better than any other will knowwhatsoever this Study may contain of criticism and of jest, oflove and truth.DE BALZAC.A PRINCE OF BOHEMIA"My dear friend," said Mme. de la Baudraye, drawing a pile ofmanuscript from beneath her sofa cushion, "will you pardon me in ourpresent straits for making a short story of something which you toldme a few weeks ago?"...　

Count Bunkerby J. Storer CloustenBEING A BALD YET VERACIOUS CHRONICLE CONTAINING SOME FURTHER PARTICULARS OF TWO GENTLEMEN WHOSE PREVIOUS CAREERS WERE TOUCHED UPON IN A TOME ENTITLED "THE LUNATIC AT LARGE"BY J. STORER CLOUSTONCOUNT BUNKERCHAPTER IIt is only with the politest affectation of interest, as a rule, that English Society learns the arrival in its midst of an ordinary Continental nobleman; but the announcement that the Baron Rudolph von Blitzenberg had been appointed attache to the German embassy at the Court of St. James was unquestionably received with a certain flutter of excitement. That his estates were as vast as an average English county, and his ancestry among the noblest 　

The Heroes, or Greek Fairy Tales For My Childrenby Charles KingsleyPREFACEMY DEAR CHILDREN,Some of you have heard already of the old Greeks; and all of you, as you grow up, will hear more and more of them. Those of you who are boys will, perhaps, spend a great deal of time in reading Greek books; and the girls, though they may not learn Greek, will be sure to come across a great many stories taken from Greek history, and to see, I may say every day, things which we should not have had if it had not been for these old Greeks. You can hardly find a well-written book which has not in it Greek names, and words, and proverbs; you cannot walk through a great town without passing Greek 　

THREE MEN ON THE BUMMELTHREE MEN ON THEBUMMELby Jerome K. Jerome1- Page 2-THREE MEN ON THE BUMMELCHAPTER IThree men need changeAnecdote showing evil result of deceptionMoral cowardice of GeorgeHarris has ideasYarn of the AncientMariner and the Inexperienced YachtsmanA hearty crewDanger ofsailing when the wind is off the landImpossibility of sailing when thewind is off the seaThe argumentativeness of Ethelbertha- -The dampness...　

BluebeardA Musical Fantasyby Kate Douglas WigginDedication: To my friend Walter DamroschMaster of the art form so irreverently treated in these pages.Kate Douglas WigginPREFACEMore than a dozen years ago musical scholars and critics began toilluminate the musical darkness of New York with lecture-recitalsexplanatory of the more abstruse German operas. Previous to this era no onehad ever thought, for instance, of unfolding the story, or the "_Leit__motive_" (if there happened to be any!), in "The Bohemian Girl,""Maritana," or "Martha." These and many other delightful but thoroughlythird-class works unfolded themselves as they went along, to the entire...　

The Chaperonby Henry JamesCHAPTER I.An old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close tothe fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees. She wasdressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered,however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips inobedience to something that was passing in her mind. She was farfrom the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needlesshe was not looking at them. What she really saw was quite anothertrain of affairs. The room was spacious and dim; the thick Londonfog had oozed into it even through its superior defences. It wasfull of dusky, massive, valuable things. The old lady sat mot