Project Gutenberg's French and Oriental Love in a Harem, by Mario Uchard

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Title: French and Oriental Love in a Harem

Author: Mario Uchard

Illustrator: Paul Avril

Release Date: June 19, 2007 [EBook #21868]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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_This Edition is Strictly Limited to
One Thousand Numbered Copies
for Mature Collectors of
Literary Curiosa
No. 899._

_French and Oriental
Love in a Harem_

_by_

MARIO UCHARD

_with Decorations by
Paul Avril_

[Illustration]

_Privately Issued
by_ FALSTAFF PRESS
NEW YORK

[Illustration]

CHAPTER I.

_Chateau de Ferouzat_, ..., 18...

No indeed, my dear Louis, I am neither dead nor ruined, nor have I
turned pirate, trappist, or rural guard, as you might imagine in order
to explain my silence these four months since I last appeared at your
illustrious studio. No, you witty giber, my fabulous heritage has not
taken wings! I am dwelling neither in China on the Blue River, nor in
Red Oceania, nor in White Lapland. My yacht, built of teak, still lies
in harbour, and is not swaying me over the vasty deep. It is no good
your spinning out laborious and far-fetched hyperboles on the subject of
my uncle's will: your ironical shafts all miss the mark. My uncle's will
surpasses the most astonishing feat of its kind ever accomplished by
notary's pen; and your poor imagination could not invent, or come
anywhere near inventing, such remarkable adventures as those into which
this registered document has led me.

First of all, in order that your feeble intellect may be enabled to rise
to the level of the subject, I must give you some description of "the
Corsair," as you called him after you met him in Paris last winter; for
it is only by comprehending the peculiarities of his life and character
that you can ever hope to understand my adventures.

Unfortunately, at this very point, a considerable difficulty arises, for
my uncle still remains and always will remain a sort of legendary
persona