The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Man With The Broken Ear, by Edmond About

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Title: The Man With The Broken Ear

Author: Edmond About

Translator: Henry Holt

Release Date: March 2, 2007 [EBook #20724]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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THE MAN
WITH
THE BROKEN EAR

TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH OF
_EDMOND ABOUT_

BY
HENRY HOLT

NEW YORK
HOLT & WILLIAMS
1872

Entered, according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1867, by
HENRY HOLT, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the
United States, for the Southern District of New York.

DEDICATION OF THE FIRST EDITION.[A]

DEAR LEYPOLDT:

You have not forgotten that nearly two years ago,
before our business connection was thought of, this
identical translation was 'respectfully declined' by you
with that same courtesy, the exercise of which in frequent
similar cases, each one of us now tries so hard to shove on
the other's shoulders. I hope that your surprise on reading
this note of dedication will not interfere with your
forgiving the pertinacity with which, through it, I still
strive to make the book _yours_.

H. H.

451 BROOME STREET, May 16, 1867.

[Footnote A: Published by Leypoldt & Holt.]

The Translator has placed a few explanatory Notes at the end of the
volume. They are referred to by numbers in the text.

THE MAN

WITH THE BROKEN EAR.

CHAPTER I.

WHEREIN THEY KILL THE FATTED CALF TO CELEBRATE THE RETURN OF A FRUGAL
SON.

On the 18th of May, 1859, M. Renault, formerly professor of physics and
chemistry, now a landed proprietor at Fontainebleau, and member of the
Municipal Council of that charming little city, himself carried to the
post-office the following letter:--

"_To Monsieur Leon Renault, Civil Engineer, Berlin, Prussia._

(To be kept at the Post-Office till called for.)

"MY DEAR CHILD:

"The good news you sent us from St. Petersburg caused