
TO - ALFRED LEE - IN MEMORY OF ANGEL - September, 1898.
HARD YOUNG HEARTS
CONCERNING THOSE "ATLANTIC LINERS" AND AN OLD DESK
OF THE LOVE OF HENRY AND ESTHER
OF THE PROFESSIONS THAT CHOOSE, AND MIKE LAFLIN
OF THE LOVE OF ESTHER AND MIKE, AND THE MESURIER LAW IN REGARD TO "SWEETHEARTS"
THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF HOME
CHAPTER VII - A LINK WITH CIVILISATION
CHAPTER VIII - A RHAPSODY OF TYRE
CHAPTER IX - A PENITENTIARY OF THE MATHEMATICS
A modest, middle‑class home on a quiet Sidon street becomes the stage for a quietly charged family drama. The parlor, with its mahogany furniture, Atlantic‑liner paintings, and a ticking clock, exudes a calm dignity that hints at the lives lived within its walls. Inside, the Mesurier family—father James, a stern businessman, his wife, and a brood of children ranging from restless teenagers to sleepy younger sisters—navigate the ordinary rhythms of domestic life.
The story opens on a May evening, when the house holds its breath as tensions rise between the eldest daughter and her brother, and between the parents themselves. Beneath the polite veneer, youthful desires clash with a father's rigid expectations, exposing the fragile bonds that hold the family together. As the night deepens, the characters’ inner worlds begin to surface, setting the stage for a poignant exploration of loyalty, rebellion, and the fragile fire of early friendships.
Language
en
Duration
~6 hours (397K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Brendan Lane, Charlie Kirschner and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
Release date
2004-02-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1866–1947
A poet, critic, and essayist of the late Victorian era, he wrote with a romantic, musical style that kept beauty and feeling at the center of his work. His long career also reached into journalism, literary editing, and anthologies, making him a lively presence in English letters on both sides of the Atlantic.
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by Richard Le Gallienne

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by Richard Le Gallienne