1　 With a gentle sigh the service tube dropped a message capsule into the receiving cup. The attention bell chimed once and was silent. Jason dinAlt stared at the harmless capsule as though it were a ticking bomb.　 Something was going wrong. He felt a hard knot of tension form inside of him. This was no routine service memo or hotel munication, but a sealed personal message. Yet he knew no one on this planet, having arrived by spacer less than eight hours earlier. Since even his name was new-dating back to the last time he had changed ships- there could be no personal messages. Yet here one 　

The Firm of Nucingenby Honore de BalzacTranslated by James WaringTO MADAME ZULMA CARRAUDTo whom, madame, but to you should I inscribe this work; to you whose lofty and candid intellect is a treasury to your friends; to you that are to me not only a whole public, but the most indulgent of sisters as well? Will you deign to accept a token of the friendship of which I am proud? You, and some few souls as noble, will grasp the whole of the thought underlying The Firm of Nucingen, appended to Cesar Birotteau. Is there not a whole social lesson in the contrast between the two stories?　

Tour Through the Eastern Counties of Englandby Daniel DefoeI began my travels where I purpose to end them, viz., at the Cityof London, and therefore my account of the city itself will comelast, that is to say, at the latter end of my southern progress;and as in the course of this journey I shall have many occasions tocall it a circuit, if not a circle, so I chose to give it the titleof circuits in the plural, because I do not pretend to havetravelled it all in one journey, but in many, and some of them manytimes over; the better to inform myself of everything I could find...　

THE SKETCH BOOKWESTMINSTER ABBEYby Washington IrvingWhen I behold, with deep astonishment,To famous Westminster how there resorteLiving in brasse or stoney monument,The princes and the worthies of all sorte;Doe not I see reformde nobilitie,Without contempt, or pride, or ostentation,And looke upon offenselesse majesty,Naked of pomp or earthly domination?And how a play-game of a painted stone...　

Droll Stories [V. 3]by Honore de BalzacCOLLECTED FROM THE ABBEYS OF TOURAINEVOLUME III: THE THIRD TEN TALESCONTENTSTHE THIRD TEN TALESPROLOGUEPERSEVERANCE IN LOVECONCERNING A PROVOST WHO DID NOT RECOGNISE THINGSABOUT THE MONK AMADOR, WHO WAS A GLORIOUS ABBOT OF TURPENAYBERTHA THE PENITENTHOW THE PRETTY MAID OF PORTILLON CONVINCED HER JUDGEIN WHICH IT IS DEMONSTRATED THAT FORTUNE IS ALWAYS FEMININECONCERNING A POOR MAN WHO WAS CALLED LE VIEUX PAR-CHEMINSODD SAYINGS OF THREE PILGRIMSINNOCENCE...　

TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-BOAT(Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa)TOM SWIFT AND HISMOTOR-BOAT(Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa)VICTOR APPLETON1- Page 2-TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR-BOAT(Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa)CHAPTER IA MOTOR-BOAT AUCTION"Where are you going, Tom?" asked Mr. Barton Swift of his son as theyoung man was slowly pushing his motor-cycle out of the yard toward the...　

THE COMPARISON OF TIBERIUS AND CAIUS GRACCHUSWITH AGIS AND CLEOMENESby Plutarchtranslated by John DrydenHAVING given an account severally of these persons, it remainsonly that we should take a view of them in comparison with oneanother.As for the Gracchi, the greatest detractors and their worstenemies could not but allow that they had a genius to virtue beyondall other Romans, which was improved also by a generous education.Agis and Cleomenes may be supposed to have had stronger natural gifts,...　

FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSENUNDER THE WILLOW-TREEby Hans Christian AndersenTHE region round the little town of Kjoge is very bleak andcold. The town lies on the sea shore, which is always beautiful; buthere it might be more beautiful than it is, for on every side thefields are flat, and it is a long way to the forest. But whenpersons reside in a place and get used to it, they can always findsomething beautiful in it,- something for which they long, even in themost charming spot in the world which is not home. It must be owned...　

THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMESThe Red-Headed LeagueI had called upon my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, one day in theautumn of last year and found him in deep conversation with a verystout, florid-faced, elderly gentleman with fiery red hair. Withan apology for my intrusion, I was about to withdraw when Holmespulled me abruptly into the room and closed the door behind me."You could not possibly have come at a better time, my dearWatson," he said cordially....　

THE HISTORY OF TROILUS AND CRESSIDATHE HISTORY OFTROILUS ANDCRESSIDAWilliam Shakespeare16021- Page 2-THE HISTORY OF TROILUS AND CRESSIDADRAMATIS PERSONAEPRIAM, King of Troy His sons: HECTOR TROILUS PARISDEIPHOBUS HELENUS MARGARELON, a bastard son of PriamTrojan commanders: AENEAS ANTENOR CALCHAS, a Trojan priest,...　

Unbeaten Tracks in Japanby Isabella L. BirdAN ACCOUNT OF TRAVELS IN THE INTERIORINCLUDING VISITS TO THE ABORIGINES OF YEZO ANDTHE SHRINE OF NIKKO BY ISABELLA L. BIRDPREFACEHaving been recommended to leave home, in April 1878, in order torecruit my health by means which had proved serviceable before, Idecided to visit Japan, attracted less by the reputed excellence ofits climate than by the certainty that it possessed, in an especialdegree, those sources of novel and sustained interest which conduceso essentially to the enjoyment and restoration of a solitary...　

BeowulfAnonymousTranlated by GummereBEOWULFPRELUDE OF THE FOUNDER OF THE DANISH HOUSELO, praise of the prowess of people-kingsof spear-armed Danes, in days long sped,we have heard, and what honor the athelings won!Oft Scyld the Scefing from squadroned foes,from many a tribe, the mead-bench tore,awing the earls. Since erst he layfriendless, a foundling, fate repaid him:for he waxed under welkin, in wealth he throve,till before him the folk, both far and near,who house by the whale-path, heard his mandate,gave him gifts: a good king he!...　

LEGENDS AND LYRICS - SECOND SERIESLEGENDS ANDLYRICS - SECONDSERIESby Adelaide Ann Proctor1- Page 2-LEGENDS AND LYRICS - SECOND SERIESVERSE: A LEGEND OFPROVENCEThe lights extinguished, by the hearth I leant, Half weary with alistless discontent. The flickering giant-shadows, gathering near, Closed...　

The Red House Mysteryby A.A. Milne1The Red House MysteryTO JOHN VINE MILNE MY DEAR FATHER,Like all really nice people, you have a weakness for detective stories,and feel that there are not enough of them. So, after all that you havedone for me, the least that I can do for you is to write you one. Here itis: with more gratitude and affection than I can well put down here.A.A.M.2The Red House MysteryCHAPTER IMrs. Stevens is FrightenedIn the drowsy heat of the summer afternoon the Red House wastaking its siesta. There was a lazy murmur of bees in the flower-borders,...　

The Second Funeral of Napoleonby William Makepeace Thackeray"by Michael Angelo Titmarch."I. On the Disinterment of Napoleon at St. HelenaII. On the Voyage from St. Helena to ParisIII. On the Funeral CeremonyI.ON THE DISINTERMENT OF NAPOLEON AT ST. HELENA.MY DEAR ,It is no easy task in this world to distinguishbetween what is great in it, and what is mean; and many and many isthe puzzle that I have had in reading History (or the works offiction which go by that name), to know whether I should laud up to...　

The Pathfinder, or, The Inland Seaby James Fenimore CooperPREFACEThe plan of this tale suggested itself to the writer manyyears since, though the details are altogether of recent in-vention. The idea of associating seamen and savages inincidents that might be supposed characteristic of theGreat Lakes having been mentioned to a Publisher, thelatter obtained something like a pledge from the Authorto carry out the design at some future day, which pledgeis now tardily and imperfectly redeemed.The reader may recognize an old friend under new cir-cumstances in the principal character of this legen