Auteur: A. E. Henderson

libreka classics – These are classics of literary history, reissued and made available to a wide audience. Immerse yourself in well-known and popular …

Over the course of his career, French writer Guy de Maupassant made a number of important contributions to the then-emergent genre of short stories. Today, critics regard him as one of the most …

Over the course of his career, French writer Guy de Maupassant made a number of important contributions to the then-emergent genre of short stories. Today, critics regard him as one of the most …

pub One.info present you this new edition. "I entered literary life as a meteor, and I shall leave it like a thunderbolt. " These words of Maupassant to Jose Maria de Heredia on the …

pub One.info present you this new edition. "Upon my word, " said Colonel Laporte, "although I am old and gouty, my legs as stiff as two pieces of wood, yet if a pretty woman were to …

pub One.info present you this new edition. There were seven of us on a drag, four women and three men; one of the latter sat on the box seat beside the coachman. We were ascending, at a snail’s pace, …

pub One.info present you this new edition. The warm autumn sun was beating down on the farmyard. Under the grass, which had been cropped close by the cows, the earth soaked by recent rains, was soft …

pub One.info present you this new edition. George’s father was sitting in an iron chair, watching his little son with concentrated affection and attention, as little George piled up the sand into …

pub One.info present you this new edition. The household lived frugally on the meager income derived from the husband’s insignificant appointments. Two children had been born of the marriage, and the …

pub One.info present you this new edition. Monsieur Lantin had met the young girl at a reception at the house of the second head of his department, and had fallen head over heels in love with …

pub One.info present you this new edition. How strange those old recollections are which haunt us, without our being able to get rid of …

pub One.info present you this new edition. He was known for thirty miles round was father Toine- fat Toine, Toine-my-extra, Antoine Macheble, nicknamed Burnt-Brandy- the innkeeper of …

pub One.info present you this new edition. The old ship’s surgeon, holding out his glass, watched it as it slowly filled with the golden liquid. Then, holding it in front of his eyes, he let the …

pub One.info present you this new edition. Mme. Oreille was a very economical woman; she knew the value of a centime, and possessed a whole storehouse of strict principles with regard to the …

pub One.info present you this new edition. Lemonnier had remained a widower with one child. He had loved his wife devotedly, with a tender and exalted love, without a slip, during their entire …

pub One.info present you this new edition. This entire stretch of country was amazing; it was characterized by a grandeur that was almost religious, and yet it had an air of sinister …

Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant was a 19th-century French author, remembered as a master of the short story form, as well as a representative of the Naturalist school, who depicted human lives, …

Madame de X. writes letters to Madame de L. – lots of letters. She writes about her relationship struggles, the difficulty of love, and most importantly, men. Madame de X. simply cannot believe their …

When the beautiful and powerful Countess Samoris arrives in Paris, she is dressed all in black. She has come to attend her daughter’s funeral, a bright and innocent girl whose death has sparked a …

Dark secrets are revealed when two aristocratic old friends embark on a journey through their memories in Guy de Maupassant’s "The Son." At 25, one of the men committed a crime on a walking …

A stroke of paralysis has left Baron des Ravots crippled, but thanks to the toil and dedication of his dutiful servants, he can still entertain guests and hunt birds with great success. With …

"My heart was throbbing wildly. I was frightened. I opened the door brusquely, and in the darkness I distinguished a white figure, standing erect, something that resembled an apparition." …

Jean and Luc are two best friends serving in the army. Life as a soldier is unforgiving, but every Sunday provides a ray of hope for the two soldiers as they walk down the Seine river and lunch in a …

Two old school friends meet in a cafe in Paris, but their chance meeting turns into a surprise for one of them. Aged, dirty, and with fingernails blackened with tobacco, Jean des Barrets has fallen …

It’s 1870 and the Siege of Paris is in full swing, where the French-Prussian war has brought daily life to a halt. Wearied, starving, and strung out on absinthe, two men meet by chance at their …

Walter Schnaff is unlike the other soldiers in the Prussian army. While his brothers-in-arms advance through Normandy with the intent of subjugating the French and achieving victory, Walter is a …

"The Thief" tells the tragic story of a soldier enamoured with life and with a girl as disquieting and wayward as she is beautiful. Through masterful storytelling within a story, Guy de …

Just like Jack Nicholson’s character in ‘About Schmidt, ‘ the narrator of ‘A Recollection’ is feeling useless.He feels, to quote Morrissey, that ‘Everyday is Like Sunday.’ To shake himself from his …

Laying the foundations for films, such as ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, ‘ starring Jack Nicholson, ‘Bertha’ is a study on mental illness.While the narrator visits his old friend, Dr Bonnet, the …

Set aboard a steamship sailing from Le Havre to Trouville, ‘Discovery’ is a short and funny story, with a moral tucked away in the dialogue.When the narrator meets his old friend, Henri Sidoine, the …

A masterpiece in literary manipulation, ‘A New Year’s Gift’ plays with our expectations while delivering a sobering dose of social commentary. We begin with Jacques, who is writing a letter to his …

Laying the foundations for films such as ‘Mother and Child, ‘ starring Naomi Watts and Samuel L Jackson, ‘Abandoned’ packs a lot into a short space. As a younger woman, Madame de Cadour gave birth to …

Later made into a film, starring Vincent Price, ‘The Diary of a Madman’ is a dark and disturbing short story. In just three pages, Maupassant introduces us to an upright magistrate who has just …

Despite its title. ‘The Effeminates’ has nothing to do with sexuality. Instead, it’s a satire on the fickle natures of Parisians and those who work in the Chamber of Deputies (a French parliamentary …

Despite quietly loathing his wife’s penchant for fake jewellery, Mr and Mrs Lantin are happily married. When she dies, finances force him to sell her gems and he discovers that one of them is not …

Have you ever experienced a hot air balloon ride?This short story describes a trip from Paris to Belgium taken by the popular French author Guy de Maupassant. Describing in detail every sight and …

Fun and intriguing stories are an integral part of every dinner party. In Paris, a man chats with friends after dinner and recounts the story of his recent visit to a brothel. After choosing a woman, …

‘A Mother of Monsters’ is a dark and disturbing story. The narrator is visiting his friend, and they walk along the seafront. As their conversation continues, the friend tells him of the eponymous …

Set during the hunting season, the Chateau Baneville is peopled with guests waiting for the weather to improve.After half-heartedly playing board games, they tell stories. None is so shocking as the …

With all the wistful romance of ‘The Remains of the Day, ‘ (starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson), ‘Alexandre’ tells the story of a servant and his mistress, Madame Marambelle. Now …

A vain and wealthy man, Lormerin is a slave to his mirror and very little else. However, one day, he opens a letter to find that his old flame, Lise, will be in town with her daughter, and he is …

It is often the most humble men that are the most dangerous.Central Corsica is dangerous. There is no question about that. Despite its beautiful scenery, the area is rife with bandits, mongrels, and …

Set on the French Riviera, ‘Madame Parisse’ tells the story of an aristocratic woman, trapped in an unhappy marriage. When her husband goes on a business trip for four days, she embarks on an affair …

Money doesn’t buy happiness. But can it buy love?Two families live in the Norman countryside. Neither of them have any money. Both of them are happy, healthy, and fulfilled. A wealthy couple walks …

Colone Laporte has an opinion about everything. Colonel Laporte is also right about everything. Or so he thinks. During a conversation with a friend, he is preaching his opinion about French people. …

What do you do when the love of your life dies?Monsieur Lemonnier completely adores his wife. He spends every second with her. The only thing that their relationship misses is a baby. The couple has …

What if you had to put a roof over the heads of your enemies?Anthony is a farmer. Sturdy and patriotic, he will stop at nothing to fight the Prussians. Bringing glory to his country is his main …

Retired merchant Monsieur Bondel has settled in the quiet town of Saint-Germain together with his wife, where he looks forward to a peaceful retirement together. The move is not quite the success he …

Set in the Swiss Alps, ‘The Inn’ could almost be the template for ‘The Shining, ‘ starring Jack Nicholson. When winter sets in, the owners of the eponymous inn decide to go see the snow out in the …

"People talked of a colossal wolf with gray fur, almost white, who had eaten two children, gnawed off a woman’s arm…"A werewolf terrorises locals, devouring livestock and killing …

"They were so absorbed in their plotting that they did not hear Boule de Suif return. But the Comte’s whispered ‘shh!’ made them all look up. There she was. A sudden silence fell…"A group …

When a young girl gets her heart broken, her beloved aunt embarks on an exploration of the art of kissing. The aunt explains in a series of letters that all of the misfortunes that the girl has been …

Dinner party conversation does not tend to include mysterious drownings which cost multiple people their lives. It is bound to turn even sourer when one attendee takes it upon himself to vividly …

Sir John Rowell’s death is shrouded in mystery, and the judge who narrates his story essentially turns it into a scary campfire story. Elements of hunting, sea voyaging, and savagery make this story …

"The Question of Latin" follows the narrator and his memories of the olden days, when Father Piquedent used to teach him Latin. The two become friends, but soon the teacher reveals that he …

Someone has stolen a big grey rabbit from under the mayor’s nose, and suspicion immediately falls on the loafer Polyte. Mayor Lecacheur immediately sends the gendarmes to find the culprit, and feels …

A farmer’s father is on his deathbed the day before the harvest. A local priest is summoned, and funeral preparations begin. The funeral feast is cut short when the dying man appears to still be …

A drunkard and a brute, Patin’s marriage to Desiree is an unhappy one. He leaves to go fishing one night during a terrible storm, and never returns. Desiree is convinced he has somehow managed to …

When Jeanne’s husband shaves off his mustache, she sees it as a vile, rebellious act committed specifically to upset her, and becomes impatient to embark on a journey of praising its virtues. …

Money gets you everywhere, it can even buy happiness – if you have enough. It is a fragile thing, though, and you must be careful what you do with it. When Mademoiselle Source, a wealthy woman who …

Jean Summer is a famous painter. Although he is praised by a lot of people for his character, he deems his marriage to a young disabled woman to be a burden. He believes that he is shackled to her, …

An aristocratic lady travels alone to picturesque Monaco, expecting a peaceful vacation. It turns into a place of horror for the woman, however, as she experiences something unspeakable at the …

Marquis de Fumerol’s death brings with it a serious political scandal. The black sheep of a royalist family – he cannot die without official last rites from the Church. As the rest of the family and …

An elderly, aristocratic woman lives lavishly in a mansion with her beloved granddaughter. One morning her granddaughter reads her an article from the morning paper about several cases where adultery …

Our narrator sits and relishes the natural beauty of a river, contemplating how painful suicide must be. He dreams of a world in which a special device allows people to end their days peacefully, …

Everything is going wonderfully at the Montmartre costume ball – the music, the atmosphere, and the food are all perfect. Until one of the lead dancers jumps into the crowd and passes out. As a …

Our young narrator sits comfortably in front of a crackling fire, accompanied by an elderly woman. Their peace is shattered when a rebellious log leaps out of the fire and rolls to a stop at their …

A young woman escapes her dreary castle in Normandy to seek the sunshine of Cannes. As she encounters multiple misfortunes, she is plagued by memories of her unhappy marriage. She runs into an …

On their trip to a Norman hunting ground, our narrator and Baron Rene du Treilles encounter a local farmer. His apparent devotion to the baron shocks the narrator. As they retire for the day, the …

Leopold Renard always fishes in the same spot. One Sunday he and his wife arrive at their favorite spot only to find it already occupied by another couple. And not only that – but they are catching …

Friends gather for dinner, drink a glass or five, and begin telling each other stories. Tales of dangerous hunting experiences are thrown around lightheartedly. This mood changes quickly when …

Graveyards are the calmest places on Earth – for the living and the dead. The Besiers cemetery is no exception. Until the keeper finds a young man digging up the grave of a recently deceased woman. …

Francois is a lonely and mediocre man. He rides the horse-drawn cart every day and regularly sees an attractive girl riding with him. They begin to get to know each other, go out, and then the …

"The Relic" is a love story in which Henry Fontal, a young man, writes to his old friend Abbe to help him in a very strange predicament. His engagement to Abbe’s niece has collapsed due to …

A group of old friends gathers for their annual hunting rendezvous on the coast of Normandy. Time may have passed, but their passion remains strong. One of them arrives dressed in black from head to …

Maitre Hauchecome spots a piece of string on the ground during his walk into town. As he bends down to pick it up, he could never have imagined the chaos that would soon ensue. His arch-nemesis …

Jean Marin has always been diligent. Not just in his studies but in his job as a handyman too. He is by no means used to luxury. When he lands a government job, it’s like a dream come true. Problems …

A successful businessman who wouldn’t dream of accepting ‘no’ as an answer, Jules Chicot has his heart set on buying his neighbour’s farm. He will stop at nothing. This short story follows his quest …

The rich but rather dull Maitre Caillard has always been besotted with the famous ‘Leigon of Honor’. It would kill him to walk the streets of Paris and see others displaying it proudly on their …

"Something that he was going to say was cut short in his throat, and he sat there with his mouth half open and a terrible look in his eyes."A group of vulgar and disrespectful Prussian …