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L'esclave du pacha, suivi de Histoire de ma grand'tante

X.-B. (Xavier-Boniface) Saintine

"In peril on the sea" by Montague T. Hainsselin is a novel written in the mid-19th century. Set between Constantinople and the Anatolian interior, it unfolds as an Orientalist romance and adventure centered on Baïla, a Mingrelian odalisque possessed by the formidable pasha Djezzar and coveted by a daring young Frenchman, with intrigue, jealousy, and mortal risk close at hand. It probes captivity, power, and the dangerous pull of forbidden desire. The opening of the story frames a traveler’s tale: a narrator walking near Paris with an Orientalist friend hears of a drama the friend learned in Asia Minor, then the narrative shifts to Sivas and the harem gardens. There, Baïla—lavishly described amid fountains and palms—startles when a young Frenchman slips past the guards, speaks to her, and vanishes, sparking her curiosity and Mariam the nurse’s alarm. A brisk backstory follows: sold in Mingrelia, trained at Trébizonde, nearly bought by a decrepit official in the Constantinople slave bazaar, Baïla is instead claimed by Djezzar Pasha and becomes his volatile favorite, even as his cruelty and his pet lion, Haïder, loom over all. Rumor then hints the pasha has shot a “dog” near the garden; fearing it was the foreigner, Baïla marks his fading footprint with a small cross, yet soon asserts triumphant sway—famously cowing Haïder with a flurry of narghilé canes and drawing Djezzar back to heel. In the city she suddenly glimpses the Frenchman alive, who signals devotion with a shining token pressed to his heart, and her thoughts turn inward: less capricious, more intent on freedom and on learning who he is. She presses Mariam, who reluctantly admits a secret encounter and her terror of discovery, and at last, with the pasha away, a bribed gardener smuggles a man into the garden. The segment closes as Baïla, freshly bathed, trembling yet resolute, goes to meet the clandestine visitor. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

A surgeon in khaki

Arthur Anderson Martin

"In peril on the sea" by Montague T. Hainsselin is a wartime memoir written in the early 20th century. It offers a frontline surgeon’s personal account with the British Expeditionary Force during the opening phase of the Great War, following mobilisation, transport, field ambulances, and early battles such as the Marne and the Aisne. The narrator—a New Zealand hospital surgeon attached to the Royal Army Medical Corps—focuses on medical work under fire and the human toll on both sides. The opening of this work states the author’s aim to record impressions from 1914 and quickly moves from a pre-war surgical tour to Britain’s entry into war, his volunteering, rapid commissioning, and first duties at Aldershot examining and inoculating recruits. He embarks from Southampton to a rapturous welcome at Le Havre, bivouacs at Harfleur, digs emergency defenses against a German raiding force, witnesses enemy aircraft and a probable spy, and is then swept up in a sudden change of base to St. Nazaire amid chaotic loading and badly handled horses. Ordered forward by rail through the Loire to the advanced base, he reaches Coulommiers, joins a field ambulance near the Marne, treats captured Prussian Guard Jägers, and watches British generals driving the crossing and pursuit. A night of continuous triage in a lamplit tent by the river is followed by marching beyond the Marne, where the narrative closes on stark roadside scenes of the German retreat, with shrapnel’s impersonal deadliness etched into fields, ditches, and abandoned cars. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

The history of a pot of varnish

Anonymous

The history of a pot of varnish by Anonymous is an industrial and technical account written in the late 19th century. It explains how varnish is made and used, emphasizing the sourcing of resin gums, the preparation of linseed oil and turpentine, and the manufacturing craft, with special attention to the practices and standards of Murphy & Co. The likely topic is the journey of varnish from raw materials to finished product within a growing American industry. The book opens by celebrating American curiosity about how things are made, then explains varnish’s three essentials—fossil resin (especially gum copal), linseed oil, and turpentine. It tours global resin sources (Zanzibar, Accra, New Zealand’s kauri fields), notes fossil gums with trapped insects, and contrasts fresh versus fossil resins. It then moves inside the factory: sorting and cleaning gum, boiling and refining oils, melting and combining ingredients, filtering, and long “ripening” in tanks, all overseen by testing to prevent the familiar “deviltries” painters face (crawling, specking, blistering). The narrative profiles Murphy & Co.’s Newark and Cleveland works, their meticulous cleanliness, in-house cooperage and tin shop, laboratory, and even a publication office, and explains their prepared “A.B.C. Surfacers” to ensure sound undercoats. It closes by framing the firm’s role in helping American varnishes rival and surpass imported grades, reflecting broader industrial confidence and expansion. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Sea, spray and spindrift : Naval yarns

H. Taprell (Henry Taprell) Dorling

"In peril on the sea" by Montague T. Hainsselin is a collection of naval short stories written in the early 20th century. The tales spotlight sailors, midshipmen, and merchant seafarers facing gun-runners, pirates, accidents at sea, and wartime patrols, with brisk action and sturdy, patriotic spirit. Expect tight, self-contained adventures featuring youthful initiative, peril, and daring rescues. The opening of the collection delivers three complete yarns and the start of a fourth. In Tubby’s Dhow, an Arabic-speaking midshipman overhears a gun-running plot on the Gulf of Oman, escapes a hostile village, then helps a cutter capture the arms-laden dhow after a night fight, earning commendation. The Stranding of the Hoi-Hau follows a merchant steamer that grounds in fog off the Shantung coast, withstands a pirate assault, and is saved when a boy signals HELP in Morse to a sloop that shells the attacking junks. The Gunner’s Luck recounts a torpedo-boat whose shaft snaps off South Africa; her crew rigs makeshift sails and nurses her into Saldanha Bay, after which the skipper is promoted. Finally, in the opening of Horatio Nelson Chivers, a tramp steamer is seized by a German cruiser; with the crew confined and only the steward and a sharp-witted galley boy at large under guard, the boy quietly begins a plan as the captain feigns illness. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

A podolini takácsné : Elbeszélések

Gyula Krúdy

"In peril on the sea" by Montague T. Hainsselin is a collection of short stories written in the early 20th century. The opening suggests atmospheric, Central European tales where memory, longing, and everyday decency meet folklore and the uncanny, following a principled widower, a tireless district clerk, and small-town souls who brush against fate and ghosts. The opening of the work strings together several vignettes. In A podolini takácsné, the upright landowner Pázsmáti János escorts his fragile son to Podolin and is stirred by memories of his youthful love for Irma, only to master the temptation and leave with his integrity intact. A tótok elfogynak follows Haviár József, a devoted county clerk who watches over his district like a father; after his wife’s death and a harsh remarriage, the dead mother’s spirit lures the children away, and Haviár himself declines into drink. A fejnélküli barát relates how a timid spinster, Scholtz Antónia, sees the legendary headless monk and, joyfully reconciled to fate, dies a month later. Jézuska csizmája shows two ruined mercenaries, cheated and cast into the snow, saved only when an austere sister leads them to their stolen boots hanging from a roadside crucifix—too late for one, whom the Christ on the cross wordlessly claims. Finally, Ábrándok begins with Hollós, a young scholar in old Buda, drawn night after night toward a mysterious woman’s song, as the scene freezes on his first close approach. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

In peril on the sea

Montague T. (Montague Thomas) Hainsselin

"In peril on the sea" by Montague T. Hainsselin is a naval novel written in the early 20th century. Set aboard a British light cruiser during wartime, it blends tense sea operations with espionage, rescue-at-sea suspense, and a sudden, fraught romance. The story centers on First Lieutenant Stapleton, Captain Blake, and the rescued Irish cousins Norah, Netta, and Patrick Sheridan, whose arrival brings hidden motives and moral conflict aboard. At the start of the work, a playful preface announces a straightforward naval yarn before the tale opens on a fog-bound cruiser, the Marathon, slowing through danger and recovering a drifting boat with two young women, Norah and Netta, and their cousin Patrick. In the warm bustle of the wardroom, Captain Blake arranges to send them ashore by destroyer, while Stapleton is instantly drawn to Norah and privately declares himself. Shortly after, Netta collapses and, in panic, blurts out a detailed story of a bomb plot—dismissed by the ship’s doctor as delirium—while Patrick simultaneously urges Norah to plant a timed device; she hesitates and is interrupted as they are hurried off to the destroyer. At sea, Norah is racked with remorse and dread, unsure whether Patrick managed to hide the bomb, and back aboard the cruiser officers debate the plausibility of such a device, leaving the opening with a tightening question: is the Marathon already in peril? (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Excursion to the Orkney Islands

Jacob Abbott

"The romance of the Oxford colleges" by Francis Henry Gribble is a historical account written in the early 20th century. It likely blends architectural description with anecdote and legend to trace the origins, traditions, and notable figures of Oxford’s colleges, aiming to capture their atmosphere and cultural significance. The opening of this work follows Mrs. Morelle, her children Florence and John, and their capable cousin Grimkie as they prepare to travel from America to England to meet the children’s father, whose letter arrives from Singapore proposing a summer reunion in London. They book Cunard passages (ultimately via Boston), select adjacent staterooms, and ready practical gear—including a shared “night valise”—while learning how a letter of credit works and purchasing English sovereigns. The narrative then details embarkation, early seasickness, the cautious fog-bound stop at Halifax, the bleak passage over the Banks of Newfoundland, and the return of fair weather, with landfall at Ireland and arrival in Liverpool. Settled at the Waterloo Hotel, the children explore Liverpool’s docks and floating landing-stage, and the family adapts to English hotel customs. Finally, over breakfast, they discuss travel plans; prompted by maps and guidebooks, Grimkie proposes an adventurous journey to the Orkney Islands via Inverness and Wick, explaining the routes by rail, coach, and steamer that would take them north. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Life of John Brown

Michael Gold

Lost Nellie by Pansy is a concise historical biography written in the early 20th century. The book recounts the life and legacy of the American abolitionist John Brown, presenting his rise from a pious, hard-working frontier farmer to a militant foe of slavery; its likely topic is Brown’s moral evolution, his Kansas battles, the Harper’s Ferry raid, and the national reckoning that followed. The narrative opens by framing slavery’s “respectability” in American life, then traces Brown’s youth, deep religious convictions, and early outrage at the abuse of enslaved people. It follows his self-education, family hardships, and business struggles, leading to his activism on the Underground Railroad and his radicalization after the Fugitive Slave Law and the Kansas crisis. In “Bleeding Kansas,” he organizes armed defense, answers Border Ruffian terror with the grim Pottawatomie reprisals, and becomes a guerrilla leader, later freeing enslaved families in a winter raid that he conducts to Canada. The book then details his larger plan to unsettle slavery at its source, his seizure of the federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, the siege and deaths of his sons, and his capture by U.S. Marines. It closes with his steadfast trial speech, serene letters from jail, execution, and the powerful aftermath—how his martyrdom galvanized Northern opinion, hastened the nation toward civil war, and forged a lasting legend of courage and justice. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Álmok éjszakája

Arthur Schnitzler

Rhapsody: A Dream Novel, also known as Dream Story (German: Traumnovelle), is a 1926 novella by the Austrian writer Arthur Schnitzler. The book deals with the thoughts and psychological transformations of Doctor Fridolin over a two-day period after his wife confesses having had sexual fantasies involving another man. In this short time, he meets many people who give clues to the world Schnitzler creates. This culminates in the masquerade ball, an event of masked identity, sex, and danger for Doctor Fridolin, the outsider. It was first published in installments in the magazine Die Dame between December 1925 and March 1926. The first book edition appeared in 1926 in S. Fischer Verlag. The best known of the film adaptations is the 1999 film Eyes Wide Shut by director-screenwriter Stanley Kubrick and co-screenwriter Frederic Raphael, although it makes significant alterations to the setting. Prior to this film, it had been adapted for Austrian television in 1969; as an Italian film entitled Il cavaliere, la morte e il diavolo in 1983; and as a low-budget Italian film entitled Nightmare in Venice in 1989. The book belongs to the period of the Decadent movement in Vienna after the turn of the 20th century. (This summary is from Wikipedia.)

Lord Lister No. 0035: De man, die veertig draken doodde

Kurt Matull

“De man, die veertig draken doodde” is a pulp adventure serial written in the early 20th century. Set in Peking, it follows the gentleman‑adventurer John Raffles (the “Great Unknown”) as he becomes entangled in violent court intrigues, temple conspiracies, and a perilous rescue involving the young beauty Anitai. Expect a fast, melodramatic mix of abduction, corruption, and East–West tension, with a ruthless police chief and rival palace factions as chief antagonists. The opening of the story plunges into a noisy festival for the spring god Tsai‑Soi, where the poor youth Win‑Seng and his sister Anitai are spotted by the powerful, corrupt mandarin Kwo‑Saing. Win‑Seng is knocked out and handed to temple priests, while Anitai is nearly abducted—until Raffles, traveling incognito, forces entry with help from French legation guards and carries her to safety. As Raffles shelters the girl, we meet Prince Thun and his wife Wandé, whose enemies use the Tsai‑Soi priests to drug Wandé and force Win‑Seng—later mutilated and made a tongueless slave—into a plot that disgraces the prince; Raffles intervenes and wins Thun’s alliance. Kwo‑Saing then has the witch Bali lure and kidnap Anitai for the rival Prince Tuan, prompting Raffles to seek aid from the priesthood of the Sun Temple, which promises to return the girl the following evening. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Futility : a novel on Russian themes

William Alexander Gerhardie

Futility by William Gerhardi is a novel written in the early 20th century. It blends comedy and melancholy in a Chekhov-like portrait of pre-revolutionary Russian society, seen through an Anglo-Russian narrator who becomes entangled with the turbulent Bursanov family. The likely focus is the clash of love, vanity, money, and obligation across a sprawling circle of relatives, dependents, and suitors, where every solution breeds new complications and a pervasive sense of futility. The opening of the book frames the narrator in Vladivostok, awaiting a ship home and deciding to set down his tale, then flashing back to a seaside dacha near Petersburg where he meets the three sisters—Sonia, Nina, and Vera—and glimpses the family’s fractures while watching Chekhov’s Three Sisters. At their city flat he learns that the commanding Fanny Ivanovna is not legally married to their father, Nikolai Vasilievich; constant quarrels, money troubles, and divorce tangles dominate. Nina and Vera depart for Moscow to their mother, and at the station the narrator impulsively proposes to Nina. Fanny then pours out her history: a proud German past, eleven years as Nikolai’s partner without divorce, his wife Magda’s disruptions, the illusion of Siberian gold mines, a mortgaged house, and a trail of dependents (including the silent “Kniaz”). A dinner interrupted by letters and visitors brings Eisenstein’s tearful plea and the shock that Vera is his daughter; later, Magda waits on the landing and confides her wish to remarry and her belief that Nikolai long avoided divorce to evade marrying Fanny. The narrator soon encounters Nikolai exultant with teenaged Zina and meets her ravenous family; a theatre sighting by Fanny and the girls deepens the rift. Emboldened, the narrator drafts a grand “intervention” chart to fix everyone’s lives, only to be mocked, his plan torn up, and his coach horse’s comic retreat sealing his humiliation; a sleepless white night on the balcony with Fanny closes this beginning in rueful, talk-filled stillness. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Onnen veräjä : Kolminäytöksinen huvinäytelmä

Kaarle Halme

"The romance of the Oxford colleges" by Francis Henry Gribble is a historical account written in the early 20th century. It likely surveys the origins, architecture, customs, and legends of Oxford’s colleges, blending anecdote with history to evoke their scholarly life and traditions. The opening of the provided work presents a Finnish three-act comedy set at Rouhu farm, where the sturdy patriarch Matti clings to control and delays handing the farm to his son Erkki, dampening the spirits of Erkki and his capable wife Tuovi. Elli, Matti’s lively daughter, chafes at boredom and rebuffs suitors while two neighboring agronomists, Mauno and Olli, spar and compete for her attention. After Elli’s outburst and a frank, kind talk with Tuovi, Matti softens, agrees to transfer the farm (keeping a modest syytinki of two cows and a calf), and plans to finalize papers on Matinpäivä. The mood turns festive as preparations begin, Mauno and Olli arrive bantering, Mauno attempts a private courtship, and on Matinpäivä Olli hurries in ahead of his rival; amid a comic spill that sends Mauno into a snowbank, Olli finally blurts out his love as the excerpt closes. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Aphrodisiaque externe, ou Traité du fouet et de ses effets sur le physique de l'amour : Ouvrage médico-philosophique, suivi d'une dissertation sur tous les moyens capables d'exciter aux plaisirs de l'amour

Amédée Doppet

"The romance of the Oxford colleges" by Francis Henry Gribble is a historical account written in the early 20th century. It likely traces the origins, traditions, architecture, and notable personalities of Oxford’s colleges, blending anecdote and history to evoke the enduring charm and culture of the university. The opening of this work presents an anonymous medico-philosophical treatise that defends discussing a delicate subject—flagellation as a stimulus to sexual desire—on the grounds of public utility. After a preliminary discourse and an outline of chapters, it argues that whipping has long been used to provoke arousal, citing classical authorities and personal observation, and then offers a physiological explanation linking stimulation of the loins to genital response. The author condemns penitential flagellation in religious houses and corporal punishment in schools as harmful practices that inflame the very impulses they aim to suppress, calling for reform. A brief conclusion reiterates that the whip is a crude and degrading expedient, after which a “dissertation” supplies gentler aphrodisiac regimens for weakness, exhaustion, and old age, complete with recipes and a catalog of botanical and aromatic stimulants. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Fan's silken string

Annette Lyster

"The romance of the Oxford colleges" by Francis Henry Gribble is a historical account written in the early 20th century. It likely offers a lively survey of Oxford’s colleges—their origins, customs, architecture, and memorable personalities—blending anecdote with history to capture the charm of England’s academic heritage. Readers curious about university lore and English cultural history will find it especially appealing. The opening of the provided narrative follows Ben Fairfax, a sharp but unruly stable boy who charms his way into haymaking work on a Midlands farm, steals fruit and small goods, and then bolts when a guilty tug of love for his frail sister Fan sends him back home. He finds his father arrested for poaching, his mother and baby brother dead of fever, and Fan dangerously weak and targeted by police as a witness; he carries her off to London. Forced out by a fearful landlady, they flee again, briefly riding a produce waggon until the driver, sensing Ben’s lies and Fan’s illness, turns them away. Hungry and desperate, Ben nearly steals food but relents at Fan’s urgent plea. At last, he leaves the sleeping child in a tiny woodland cottage on a wealthy estate, where we meet the kind Harewoods—especially their cherished daughter, Pearl—setting the stage for the two worlds to meet. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Lost Nellie : and other stories

Pansy

Lost Nellie by Pansy is a collection of short stories and verses for children written in the late 19th century. The book gently teaches moral and Christian lessons through everyday situations—emphasizing prayer, honesty, obedience, cheerful patience, and kindness. The pieces follow young children in small but telling predicaments. In Lost Nellie, a little girl prays under an oak until her father is guided to her. An Old Story retells Noah’s Ark in simple language. Our Jessie shows a child praying to find her mother. Trying to Amuse Willie depicts a convalescent boy so determined to be unhappy that he misses a friend’s visit, then owns his fault. Trouble clears an accused boy when his established character speaks for him. Being Good finds Gracie “obediently” staying in her chair while cutting a curtain to mop spilled cologne. Lulie’s Troubles portrays a girl envying her grandfather’s removable white hair and learning hers won’t come off. Who’ll Settle It turns a quarrel over a game’s score into laughter sparked by a dog’s antics. Across these scenes, the book highlights trust in God, good habits, humility, and the power of gentle humor to resolve conflicts. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Safe foundry practice

Travelers Insurance Companies

"The romance of the Oxford colleges" by Francis Henry Gribble is a historical account written in the early 20th century. It likely surveys the origins, traditions, architecture, and notable personalities of Oxford’s colleges, blending anecdote with accessible history to convey the distinctive spirit of each institution. The opening of the provided text lays out a practical safety program for foundries: a preface urging cooperative “beehive” discipline to cut accidents, and an introduction noting that most injuries are burns that better clothing could prevent. It then specifies personal protective equipment—stout, hard‑finished garments, snug congress shoes with proper leggings, side‑shielded goggles with appropriate lenses, gloves and sleeves for heat, and leather or rubber aprons and boots for pickling. Equipment guidance stresses rigorous inspection and guarding of ladles (enclosed gears, safe balancing and locking, splash shields), correct pouring posture and training, thorough drying and storage, and the use of iron/steel flasks with adequate floor clearance to prevent run‑outs. It details the composition, seasoning, annealing, and gentle handling of graphite crucibles to avoid cracks and catastrophic spills, and safer cupola practice (clean “botting” technique, blast-gate control, guarded elevators and charging doors). The section also signals broader safeguards—traveling‑crane protocols, proper slings and hooks, dust control on tumbling barrels and sand‑blasting, machine guarding, adequate illumination, and an orderly yard—as low‑cost, high‑impact measures to reduce accidents. (This is an automatically generated summary.)