Berenice. the Unparalleled Adventures of One Hans Pfaall. the Fall of the House of Usher and Seventeen Other Stories

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1908 Excerpt: ... other serious charge to the prejudice of the metaphysician. If Pierre BonBon had his failings,--and what great man has not a thousand?--if Pierre Bon-Bon, I say, had his failings, they were failings of very little importance--faults indeed which, in other tempers, have often been looked, upon rather in the light of virtues. As regards one of these foibles, I should not even have mentioned it in this history but for the remarkable prominency, the extreme alto relievo, in which it jutted out from the plane of his general disposition. He could never let slip an opportunity of making a bargain. Not that he was avaricious--no. It was by no means necessary to the satisfaction of the philosopher that the bargain should be to his own proper advantage. Provided a trade could be effected--a trade of any kind, upon any terms, or under any circumstances--a triumphant smile was seen for many days thereafter to enlighten his countenance, and a knowing wink of the eye to give evidence of his sagacity. At any epoch it would not be very wonderful if a humor so peculiar as the one I have just mentioned should elicit attention and remark. At the epoch of our narrative, had this peculiarity Not attracted observation, there would have been room for wonder indeed. It was soon reported that, upon all occasions of the kind, the smile of Bon-Bon was found to differ widely from the downright grin with which he would laugh at his own jokes or welcome an acquaintance. Hints were thrown out of an exciting nature; stories were told of perilous bargains made in a hurry and repented of at leisure; and instances were adduced of unaccountable capacities, vague longings, and unnatural inclinations implanted by the author of all evil for wise purposes of his own. The philosopher had other we...