Chapter I: Front Matter

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A MODERN ALADDIN

_OR, THE WONDERFUL ADVENTURES
OF OLIVER MUNIER_

=An Extravaganza in Four Acts=

BY HOWARD PYLE
AUTHOR OF "PEPPER AND SALT" ETC.

ILLUSTRATED

NEW YORK
HARPER & BROTHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARE
1892

Copyright, 1891, by HARPER & BROTHERS.

_All rights reserved._

ILLUSTRATIONS.

"HE SAW A DULL HEAVY SMOKE ARISE TO THE CEILING" _Frontispiece_

"HE WAS A TALL, DARK GENTLEMAN, DRESSED IN BLACK
FROM HEAD TO FOOT" _To face page_ 8

"'I AM THY UNCLE,' SAID THE STRANGE GENTLEMAN" " " 12

"AT THAT MOMENT SHE LOOKED UP" " " 18

"HE SUDDENLY BEGAN AN UNCOUTH, GROTESQUE DANCE" " " 22

"HE LIGHTED A MATCH AND DROPPED IT INTO THE VASE" " " 30

"OLIVER GAVE A PIPING CRY" " " 36

"AT THE OPEN DOOR-WAY STOOD GASPARD AND HIS MASTER" " " 42

"CREEPING CAUTIOUSLY FORWARD, OLIVER CAME TO THE
CHIMNEY-PIECE" " " 46

"'GOOD-DAY, MONSIEUR,' SAID A FAMILIAR VOICE" " " 56

"THE QUESTION WAS SO SUDDEN AND SO STARTLING THAT
OLIVER SANK BACK IN HIS SEAT" " " 58

"SUCH WAS THE WORKSHOP IN WHICH THE TWO LABORED
TOGETHER" " " 70

"THEY SAW ARNOLD DE VILLENEUVE, THE GREAT MASTER,
UPON THE FLOOR" " " 74

"SHE HELD THE BOOK IN THE FLAMES WHILE TALKING, HER
EYES FIXED INTENTLY UPON IT" " " 84

"HE LEANED OVER AND LOOKED INTO HER FACE" " " 86

"AND STRIPPED THE FALSE BODY OFF OF HIM AS YOU MIGHT
STRIP OFF A MAN'S COAT" " " 94

"HE SAW WITHIN AN OVAL MIRROR SET IN A HEAVY FRAME OF
COPPER" " " 98

"THE INNKEEPER SERVED HIM IN PERSON" " " 102

"'MAD!' SAID OLIVER, 'WHY AM I MAD?'" " " 110

"HE IS CLAD IN A LOOSE DRESSING-ROBE OF FIGURED CLOTH,
AND LIES IN BED READING HIS BOOK" " " 114

"OLIVER SPREAD OUT THE GEMS UPON THE TABLE WITH HIS
HAND" " " 124

"ENTER OLIVER AND MADEMOISELLE CÉLESTE" " " 130

"'DO YOU KNOW,' SAID THE MARQUIS, 'WHAT A THING IT IS
THAT YOU ASK?'" " " 136

"HE SANK ON HIS KNEES BESIDE HER" " " 140

"SHE DREW HER DOWN UNTIL THE GIRL KNEELED UPON THE
FLOOR BESIDE HER" " " 146

"'MONSIEUR THE COUNT DE ST. GERMAINE!'" " " 148

"THE COUNT DE ST. GERMAINE, WITHOUT REMOVING HIS EYES
FROM HIS VICTIM, TOOK ANOTHER DEEP, LUXURIOUS
PINCH OF SNUFF" " " 152

"OLIVER FIXED HIS GAZE UPON THE SMOOTH, BRILLIANT
SURFACE OF THE GLASS" " " 166

"THEY BEHELD THEIR MASTER LYING UPON HIS FACE UNDER
THE TABLE" " " 176

"SUDDENLY SOME ONE TOUCHED OLIVER SLIGHTLY UPON THE
SHOULDER" " " 178

"'CÉLESTE!' BREATHED OLIVER THROUGH THE CRACK OF THE
DOOR" " " 186

"HE FOUND IN HIS CLINCHED HAND A LACE CRAVAT" " " 194

"OVER HIS SHOULDERS HE CARRIED SOMETHING LIMP, LIKE AN
EMPTY SKIN, OR A BUNDLE OF CLOTHES TIED TOGETHER" " " 198

A MODERN ALADDIN;

OR,

THE WONDERFUL ADVENTURES OF OLIVER MUNIER.

An Extravaganza in Four Acts.

A MODERN ALADDIN.