Guy de Maupassant
(5 August 1850 – 6 July 1893) was a 19th-century French author, celebrated as a master of the short story, as well as a representative of the naturalist school, depicting human lives, destinies and social forces in disillusioned and often pessimistic terms. (Wikepedia)
A Family Affair
The small engine attached to the Neuilly steam-tram whistled as it passed the Porte Maillot to warn all obstacles to get out of its way and puffed like a person out of breath as it sent out its steam, its pistons moving rapidly with a noise as of iron legs running.
The Question Of Latin
This subject of Latin that has been dinned into our ears for some time past recalls to my mind a story—a story of my youth.
Madame Baptiste
The first thing I did was to look at the clock as I entered the waiting-room of the station at Loubain, and I found that I had to wait two hours and ten minutes for the Paris express.
Epiphany
I should say I did remember that Epiphany supper during the war! exclaimed Count de Garens, an army captain.
The Colonel's Ideas
“Upon my word,” said Colonel Laporte, “although I am old and gouty, my legs as stiff as two pieces of wood, yet if a pretty woman were to tell me to go through the eye of a needle, I believe I should take a jump at it, like a clown through a hoop.
Mademoiselle Fifi
Major Graf Von Farlsberg, the Prussian commandant, was reading his newspaper as he lay back in a great easy-chair, with his booted feet on the beautiful marble mantelpiece where his spurs had made two holes, which had grown deeper every day during the three months that he had been in the chateau of Uville.
Madame Parisse
I was sitting on the pier of the small port of Obernon, near the village of Salis, looking at Antibes, bathed in the setting sun.
Lieutenant Lare's Marriage
Since the beginning of the campaign Lieutenant Lare had taken two cannon from the Prussians.
Two Little Soldiers
Every Sunday, as soon as they were free, the little soldiers would go for a walk.
The Prisoners
There was not a sound in the forest save the indistinct, fluttering sound of the snow falling on the trees.
Boule de Suif
For several days in succession fragments of a defeated army had passed through the town.
A Ghost
We were speaking of sequestration, alluding to a recent lawsuit.