Penguin Islandby Anatole FranceCONTENTSBOOK I. THE BEGINNINGSBOOK II. THE ANCIENT TIMESBOOK III. THE MIDDLE AGES AND THE RENAISSANCEBOOK IV. MODERN TIMES: TRINCOBOOK V. MODERN TIMES: CHATILLONBOOK VI. MODERN TIMESBOOK VII. MODERN TIMESBOOK VIII. FUTURE TIMESBOOK I. THE BEGINNINGSI. LIFE OF SAINT MAELMael, a scion of a royal family of Cambria, was sent in his ninth year to the Abbey of Yvern so that he might there study both sacred and profane learning. At the age of fourteen he renounced his patrimony and took a vow to serve the Lord. His time was divided, according to the rule, between the singing of hymns, the study of grammar, and the meditation of eternal truths....　

"A Death in the Desert"Everett Hilgarde was conscious that the man in the seatacross the aisle was looking at him intently. He was a large,florid man, wore a conspicuous diamond solitaire upon his thirdfinger, and Everett judged him to be a traveling salesman of somesort. He had the air of an adaptable fellow who had been aboutthe world and who could keep cool and clean under almost anycircumstances.The "High Line Flyer," as this train was derisively calledamong railroad men, was jerking along through the hot afternoonover the monotonous country between Holdridge and Cheyenne....　

An Unprotected Female at the Pyramidsby Anthony TrollopeIn the happy days when we were young, no description conveyed to us socomplete an idea of mysterious reality as that of an Oriental city. Weknew it was actually there, but had such vague notions of its ways andlooks! Let any one remember his early impressions as to Bagdad orGrand Cairo, and then say if this was not so. It was probably takenfrom the "Arabian Nights," and the picture produced was one of strange,fantastic, luxurious houses; of women who were either very young andvery beautiful, or else very old and very cunning; but in either stateexercising much more influence in life than women in the East do now;...　

SHERLOCK HOLMESTHE ADVENTURE OF THE BERYL CORONETby Sir Arthur Conan DoyleThe Adventure of the Beryl Coronet."Holmes," said I as I stood one morning in our bow-window lookingdown the street, "here is a madman coming along. It seems rather sadthat his relatives should allow him to come out alone."My friend rose lazily from his armchair and stood with his handsin the pockets of his dressing-gown, looking over my shoulder. Itwas a bright, crisp February morning, and the snow of the day beforestill lay deep upon the ground, shimmering brightly in the wintry sun.Down the centre of Baker Street it had been ploughed into a brown...　

The Bohemian GirlThe transcontinental express swung along the windings of theSand River Valley, and in the rear seat of the observation car ayoung man sat greatly at his ease, not in the least discomfited bythe fierce sunlight which beat in upon his brown face and neck andstrong back. There was a look of relaxation and of great passivityabout his broad shoulders, which seemed almost too heavy until hestood up and squared them. He wore a pale flannel shirt and a bluesilk necktie with loose ends. His trousers were wide and belted atthe waist, and his short sack coat hung open. His heavy shoes had...　

The Deputy of Arcisby Honore de BalzacTranslated by Katharine Prescott WormeleyPART ITHE ELECTIONIALL ELECTIONS BEGIN WITH A BUSTLEBefore beginning to describe an election in the provinces, it is proper to state that the town of Arcis-sur-Aube was not the theatre of the events here related.The arrondissement of Arcis votes at Bar-sur-Aube, which is forty miles from Arcis; consequently there is no deputy from Arcis in the Chamber.Discretion, required in a history of contemporaneous manners and morals, dictates this precautionary word. It is rather an ingenious contrivance to make the description of one town the frame for events which happened in another; and several times already in the cour　

420 BCTHE CLOUDSby Aristophanesanonymous translatorCHARACTERS IN THE PLAYSTREPSIADESPHIDIPPIDESSERVANT OF STREPSIADESDISCIPLES OF SOCRATESSOCRATESJUST DISCOURSEUNJUST DISCOURSEPASIAS, a Money-lenderAMYNIAS, another Money-lenderCHORUS OF CLOUDSCLOUDS(SCENE:-In the background are two houses, that of Strepsiades andthat of Socrates, the Thoughtery. The latter is small and dingy;the in, terior of the former is shown and two beds are seen, each...　

FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSENHOLGER DANSKEby Hans Christian AndersenIN Denmark there stands an old castle named Kronenburg, close bythe Sound of Elsinore, where large ships, both English, Russian, andPrussian, pass by hundreds every day. And they salute the old castlewith cannons, "Boom, boom," which is as if they said, "Good-day."And the cannons of the old castle answer "Boom," which means "Manythanks." In winter no ships sail by, for the whole Sound is coveredwith ice as far as the Swedish coast, and has quite the appearanceof a high-road. The Danish and the Swedish flags wave, and Danes and...　

The Diary of a Goose Girlby Kate Douglas WigginTHORNYCROFT FARM, near Barbury Green, July 1, 190-.In alluding to myself as a Goose Girl, I am using only the mostmodest of my titles; for I am also a poultry-maid, a tender ofBelgian hares and rabbits, and a shepherdess; but I particularlyfancy the role of Goose Girl, because it recalls the German fairytales of my early youth, when I always yearned, but never hoped, tobe precisely what I now am.As I was jolting along these charming Sussex roads the other day, afat buff pony and a tippy cart being my manner of progression, Ichanced upon the village of Barbury Green.One glance was enough for any woman, who, having eyes to see, could...　

Dear Enemyby Jean WebsterSTONE GATE, WORCESTER,MASSACHUSETTS,December 27.Dear Judy:Your letter is here. I have read it twice, and with amazement. Do I understand that Jervis has given you, for a Christmas present, the making over of the John Grier Home into a model institution, and that you have chosen me to disburse the money? MeI, Sallie McBride, the head of an orphan asylum! My poor people, have you lost your senses, or have you become addicted to the use of opium, and is this the raving of two fevered imaginations? I am exactly as well fitted to take care of one hundred children as to become the curator of a zoo....　

THE DEATH OF JEANThe death of Jean Clemens occurred early in the morning ofDecember 24, 1909. Mr. Clemens was in great stress of mind whenI first saw him, but a few hours later I found him writingsteadily."I am setting it down," he said, "everything. It is arelief to me to write it. It furnishes me an excuse forthinking." At intervals during that day and the next I lookedin, and usually found him writing. Then on the evening of the26th, when he knew that Jean had been laid to rest in Elmira, hecame to my room with the manuscript in his hand."I have finished it," he said; "read it. I can form noopinion of it myself. If you think it worthy, some dayat the...　

The Crusade of the Excelsiorby Bret HarteCONTENTS.PART I.IN BONDS.CHAPTER I.A CRUSADER AND A SIGNCHAPTER II.ANOTHER PORTENTCHAPTER III."VIGILANCIA"CHAPTER IV.IN THE FOGCHAPTER V.TODOS SANTOSCHAPTER VI."HAIL AND FAREWELL"CHAPTER VII.THE GENTLE CASTAWAYSCHAPTER VIII.IN SANCTUARYCHAPTER IX.AN OPEN-AIR PRISONCHAPTER X.TODOS SANTOS SOLVES THE MYSTERYCHAPTER XI.THE CAPTAIN FOLLOWS HIS SHIPPART II.FREED.CHAPTER I....