STORIESSTORIESBY ENGLISH AUTHORS IN ITALY1- Page 2-STORIESA FAITHFUL RETAINERBY JAMES PAYNWhen I lived in the country,which was a long time ago,our nearestneighbours were the Luscombes. They were very great personages in thecountry indeed, and the family were greatly "respected"; though not, so faras I could discern, for any particular reason, except from their having beenthere for several generations. People are supposed to improve, like wine,...　

The Princess de Montpensierby Mme. de LafayetteIntroductionby Oliver C. ColtThis story was written by Madame de Lafayette and publishedanonymously in 1662. It is set in a period almost 100 yearspreviously during the sanguinary wars of the counter-reformation,when the Catholic rulers of Europe, with the encouragement of thePapacy, were bent on extirpating the followers of the creeds ofLuther and Calvin. I am not qualified to embark on a historicalanalysis, and shall do no more than say that many of the personswho are involved in the tale actually existed, and the eventsreferred to actually took place. The weak and vicious King andhis malign and unscrupulous mother are real enough, as is a Du　

The Red Sealby Natalie Sumner LincolnCHAPTER IIN THE POLICE COURTTe Assistant District Attorney glanced down at the papers in his hand and then up at the well-dressed, stockily built man occupying the witness stand. His manner was conciliatory."According to your testimony, Mr. Clymer, the prisoner, John Sylvester, was honest and reliable, and faithfully performed his duties as confidential clerk," he stated. "Just when was Sylvester in your employ?""Sylvester was never in my employ," corrected Benjamin Augustus Clymer. The president of the Metropolis Trust Company was noted for his precision of speech. "During the winter of 1918 I shared an apartment with Judge James Hildebrand, who em　

75 ADCICERO106-43 B.C.by Plutarchtranslated by John DrydenCICEROIT is generally said, that Helvia, the mother of Cicero, was bothwell-born and lived a fair life; but of his father nothing is reportedbut in extremes. For whilst some would have him the son of a fuller,and educated in that trade, others carry back the origin of his familyto Tullus Attius, an illustrious king of the Volscians, who wagedwar not without honour against the Romans. However, he who first of...　

The Garden Of Allahby Robert HichensCONTENTSBOOK I. PRELUDEBOOK II. THE VOICE OF PRAYERBOOK III. THE GARDENBOOK IV. THE JOURNEYBOOK V. THE REVELATIONBOOK VI. THE JOURNEY BACKTHE GARDEN OF ALLAHBOOK I. PRELUDECHAPTER IThe fatigue caused by a rough sea journey, and, perhaps, theconsciousness that she would have to be dressed before dawn to catchthe train for Beni-Mora, prevented Domini Enfilden from sleeping.There was deep silence in the Hotel de la Mer at Robertville. TheFrench officers who took their pension there had long since ascendedthe hill of Addouna to the barracks. The cafes had closed their doors...　

The Aspern Papersby Henry JamesTHE ASPERN PAPERSII had taken Mrs. Prest into my confidence; in truth withouther I should have made but little advance, for the fruitfulidea in the whole business dropped from her friendly lips.It was she who invented the short cut, who severed the Gordian knot.It is not supposed to be the nature of women to rise as a general thingto the largest and most liberal viewI mean of a practical scheme;but it has struck me that they sometimes throw off a bold conceptionsuch as a man would not have risen towith singular serenity....　

The Old Bachelorby William CongreveQuem tulit ad scenam ventoso Gloria curru, Exanimat lentus spectator; sedulus inflat: Sic leve, sic parvum est, animum quod laudis avarum Subruit, and reficit.HORAT. Epist. I. lib. ii.To the Right Honourable Charles, Lord Clifford of Lanesborough, etc.My Lord,It is with a great deal of pleasure that I lay hold on this first occasion which the accidents of my life have given me of writing to your lordship: for since at the same time I write to all the world, it will be a means of publishing (what I would have everybody know) the respect and duty which I owe and pay to you. I have so much inclination to be yours that I need no other engagement. But the p　

FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSENTWO MAIDENSby Hans Christian AndersenHAVE you ever seen a maiden? I mean what our pavers call a maiden,a thing with which they ram down the paving-stones in the roads. Amaiden of this kind is made altogether of wood, broad below, andgirt round with iron rings. At the top she is narrow, and has astick passed across through her waist, and this stick forms the armsof the maiden.In the shed stood two Maidens of this kind. They had their placeamong shovels, hand-carts, wheelbarrows, and measuring-tapes; and toall this company the news had come that the Maidens were no longer...　

Dummling, and was despised, mocked, and sneered at on every occasion.It happened that the eldest wanted to go into the forest to hew wood,and before he went his mother gave him a beautiful sweet cake and abottle of wine in order that he might not suffer from hunger orthirst.When he entered the forest he met a little grey-haired old man whobade him good-day, and said, do give me a piece of cake out of yourpocket, and let me have a draught of your wine, I am so hungry andthirsty. But the clever son answered, if I give you my cake andwine, I shall have none for myself, be off with you, and he left thelittle man standing and went on.But when he began to hew down a tree, it was not long before 　

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA[TO MRS. WILLIAM H. GRENFELL OF TAPLOW COURT - LADY DESBOROUGH]It was the birthday of the Infanta. She was just twelve years ofage, and the sun was shining brightly in the gardens of the palace.Although she was a real Princess and the Infanta of Spain, she hadonly one birthday every year, just like the children of quite poorpeople, so it was naturally a matter of great importance to thewhole country that she should have a really fine day for theoccasion. And a really fine day it certainly was. The tallstriped tulips stood straight up upon their stalks, like long rowsof soldiers, and looked defiantly across the grass at the roses,...　

Chapter VIII of Volume III (Chap. 50)MR. BENNET had very often wished, before this period of his life, that, instead of spending his whole income, he had laid by an annual sum for the better provision of his children, and of his wife, if she survived him. He now wished it more than ever. Had he done his duty in that respect, Lydia need not have been indebted to her uncle for whatever of honour or credit could now be purchased for her. The satisfaction of prevailing on one of the most worthless young men in Great Britain to be her husband might then have rested in its proper place.He was seriously concerned that a cause of so little advantage to any one should be forwarded at the sole expenc　

Chapter XIII of Volume II (Chap. 36)IF Elizabeth, when Mr. Darcy gave her the letter, did not expect it to contain a renewal of his offers, she had formed no expectation at all of its contents. But such as they were, it may be well supposed how eagerly she went through them, and what a contrariety of emotion they excited. Her feelings as she read were scarcely to be defined. With amazement did she first understand that he believed any apology to be in his power; and stedfastly was she persuaded that he could have no explanation to give, which a just sense of shame would not conceal. With a strong prejudice against every thing he might say, she began his account of what had happened at Nethe