
Transcribed from the 1896 Harper and Brothers edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org
A REBELLIOUS HEROINE
ILLUSTRATIONS
I STUART HARLEY: REALIST
II A PRELIMINARY TRIAL
III THE RECONSTRUCTION BEGINS
IV A CHAPTER FROM HARLEY, WITH NOTES
V AN EXPERIMENT
VI ANOTHER CHAPTER FROM HARLEY
VII A BREACH OF FAITH
A lively Victorian world unfolds through the eyes of a self‑professed “realist” author, who argues that a novelist should be a faithful recorder of life rather than a creator of fantasy. His witty debates with a mathematics professor and a young surgeon set a tone of clever banter, while the narrative promises a keen observation of society’s quirks and pretensions.
At the heart of the story is a headstrong young woman who refuses to be a mere decorative figure. She challenges the expectations of her family, her suitors, and the rigid social codes of the day, using humor and daring to carve out her own path. Her encounters with the enigmatic Count Bonetti and a circle of eccentric friends spark both romance and mischief, offering listeners a portrait of a heroine who is as sharp-witted as she is courageous—without giving away the later twists that await.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (157K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2002-07-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1862–1922
A witty American humorist and editor, he became best known for playful fantasy and satire that turned the afterlife into a stage for clever conversation. His stories mix lightness, literary jokes, and a surprisingly modern sense of comic imagination.
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