Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Life Saved Second Time

The Three Musketeers
by Alexandre Dumas


Today's excerpt is from Chapter 41.

Then the young man tremblingly comprehended what a terrible thirst for vengeance urged this woman on to destroy him, as well as all who loved him, and how well she must be acquainted with the affairs of the court, since she had discovered all. There could be no doubt she owed this information to the cardinal.

But amid all this he perceived, with a feeling of real joy, that the queen must have discovered the prison in which poor Mme. Bonacieux was explaining her devotion, and that she had freed her from that prison; and the letter he had received from the young woman, and her passage along the road of Chaillot like an apparition, were now explained.

Then also, as Athos had predicted, it became possible to find Mme. Bonacieux, and a convent was not impregnable.

This idea completely restored clemency to his heart. He turned toward the wounded man, who had watched with intense anxiety all the various expressions of his countenance, and holding out his arm to him, said, "Come, I will not abandon you thus. Lean upon me, and let us return to the camp."

"Yes," said the man, who could scarcely believe in such magnanimity, "but is it not to have me hanged?"

"You have my word," said he; "for the second time I give you your life."



Continued next week. Tomorrow's installment from Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain.

More About This Book


This French novel, written in 1844 has been the subject of numerous movies. The 2004 Disney poster advertises the latest.

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Sunday, February 3, 2013

Plaster the Tomb Behind Them

Thousand and One Nights


Today's excerpt is from The First Calendar's Story.

Then he turned to the lady and said to her, "Up and make thy choice." So she descended the stair and was lost to sight; and he said to me, "O my cousin, when I have descended, complete thy kindness to me by replacing the trap-door and throwing back the earth on it: then mix the plaster in the bag with the water in this vessel and build up the tomb again with the stones and plaster it over as before, lest any see it and say, 'This tomb has been newly opened, albeit it is an old one;' for I have been at work here a whole year, unknown to any save God. This then is the service I had to ask of thee, and may God never bereave thy friends of thee, O my cousin!" Then he descended the stair; and when he was out of sight, I replaced the trap-door and did as he had bidden me, till the tomb was restored to its original condition, and I the while in a state of intoxication; after which I returned to the palace, and found my uncle still absent.



Continued next week. Tomorrow's installment from The Illiad by Homer.

More About This Book


From the Arab world: these stories date back to the Middle Ages.

Picture: Queen Scheherazade tells her stories to King Shahryār.

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Saturday, February 2, 2013

He Prayeth Best

by Samuel Taylor Coleridge


Farewell, farewell! but this I tell
To thee, thou Wedding-Guest!
He prayeth well who loveth well
Both man and bird and beast.

He prayeth best who loveth best
All things, both great and small:
For the dear God who loveth us,
He made and loveth all.

These two stanzas, the very heart of that great poem, "The Ancient Mariner," by (1772-1834), sum up the lesson of this masterpiece--"Insensibility is a crime."



Every Saturday is Poetry Day here at the Literature Daily blog. Tomorrow look for another installment from the great Arab book Thousand and One Nights.

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Friday, February 1, 2013

The Han Dynasty Takes Shape

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
by Luo Guanzhong

Today's excerpt from Chapter 5.  Previously

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Xuande, Guan and Zhang led a number of people on horseback, and followed behind Gongsun Zan. Cao Cao welcomed them as a steady stream of nobles were also arriving. Each army set up their own camp, in a string of camps that stretched more than 200 li. Cao slaughtered a bull and a horse, then convened all of the nobles to discuss plans for a military advance. Commandery governor Wang Kuang said, "Today, we come together for the sake of justice. We must decide on a leader for our alliance, and everyone must abide by that decision, before we can advance our armies." Cao said, "Members of Yuan Benchu's family have occupied the highest positions within the government for four generations, and he has a lot of students and former subordinates. He is the descendent of a famous chancellor of the Han Dynasty; he should be the leader of our alliance." Shao repeatedly declined the offer. Only after everyone said, "It can be none other than Benchu," did Shao finally agree to do it. The following day, a three-level platform was erected. The banners of the five directions were placed in rows along each side; a white banner, with a yak tail on top of its pole, and a gilded battle-ax were both placed on the platform. Military papers and the seal of a military general were placed on the platform as well. Shao was asked to ascend the platform. Shao straightened his clothes, put on his straight sword, and solemnly climbed up. He burned incense and performed the ritual obeisance. The creed of the alliance read:

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The House of Han has encountered misfortune, and the system of imperial rule has been corrupted. The traitor Dong Zhuo has seized the opportunity to wantonly cause destruction, bring disaster to the emperor, and inflict cruelty upon the people. Shao and his associates, fearing that the nation will be lost, have assembled conscript soldiers in order to deal with this national calamity. All who enter into our alliance shall work with one purpose, maintain the moral integrity of a court official, and shall not have second thoughts. Anyone who violates this alliance shall be put to death, and shall not be allowed to have descendants. The gods of heaven and earth, and the ancestral spirits, shall all bear witness to the above.



Continued next week. Tomorrow is Poetry Day here at Literature Daily.

More About This Story


This is one of four great novels from China, published when it was the most highly civilization in the world. Map shows China at the time of this story.

Chapter Summary: A forged imperial edict is issued: all towns respond to Lord Cao; breaking through the soldiers at the pass: three heroes battle Lü Bu.

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This translation from Wikipedia. See license CC-BY-SA.