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LITTLE FRENCH MASTERPIECES
Prosper Mérimée
From an etching
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Prosper Mérimée’s
Short Stories
Carmen
The Taking of the Redoubt
The Venus of Ille, etc.
Translated by
George Burnham Ives
With an Introduction by
Grace King
G. P. Putnam’s Sons
New York and London
The Knickerbocker Press
1909
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Copyright, 1903
BY
G. P. PUTNAM’S SONS
The Knickerbocker Press, New York
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Contents
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| PAGE | |
| Prosper Mérimée | ix |
| Carmen | 3 |
| The Taking of the Redoubt | 137 |
| Mateo Falcone | 151 |
| The Venus of Ille | 181 |
[Pg ix]
Introduction
Prosper Mérimée
(1803-1870)
The stories here presented are a selectionfrom that brilliant series which shine likea constellation in French literature of the lastcentury, blazoning Mérimée’s name across it.Each one has been tested and judged bysuccessive generations of readers and critics.The authoritative appraisers of literary values,French and English, have been pronouncingupon them from the time of their publicationuntil now, when they are still pronouncingupon them, as upon new productions. Theirinterest, nevertheless, is still fresh, theircharm as attractive as ever, and inexplicable,as charm must be. The prediction that wasmade in their day having been fulfilled so far,[Pg x]it does not seem hazardous to renew it, at our