Alexandre Dumas 
Lady of the Camellias 

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. Here was, in tile year of grace 1845, in those years of peace and abundance wizen all tbc favors of wit, of talent, of beauty and of fortune enveloped tlzis France of a day, a young and beautzficl woman wit/z a most c/zarm ing face, w/zo attracted to lzerself, by ber mere presence, a certain admiration mingled with deference from wlz 0 ever, seeing her for tlze first time, knew neitlzer her name nor her profession. Slze bad, in fact, and most naturally, tlze candid look, t/ze action that revealed not/zing, tlze bearing at once courageous and modest, cy’ tbe most accomplished woman of the world. Her expression was serious, lzer smile was imposing, and from simply seeing lzer walk, it mtg/2t laave been said of ber as Elle vion said one day of a lady of the Court: Size is evi dently eitlzer a courtesan or a duclzess.