Project Gutenberg 2010-11-08 Public domain in the USA. 270 Lee, Vernon 1856 1935 Paget, Violet Vanitas: Polite Stories Lady Tal -- A Worldly Woman -- The Legend of Madame Krasinska. E-text prepared by Delphine Lettau and the Online Distributed Proofreading Canada Team "Vanitas: Polite Stories" by Vernon Lee is a collection of short stories written in the late 19th century. The work features a series of narratives that delve into the lives of frivolous women, intertwining significant themes around the societal expectations and deeper moral complexities that underlie their seemingly trivial existences. The initial story introduces characters such as Jervase Marion and Lady Atalanta, setting the stage for explorations of their relationships and the intricacies of their lives within a luxurious yet superficial social milieu. The opening of the collection provides a glimpse into an elegant Venetian setting filled with social gatherings and artistic discussions. Jervase Marion, a psychological novelist, finds himself surrounded by a cast of colorful characters, including the enigmatic Lady Tal, who navigates the complexities of her widowhood and societal pressures. As Marion observes and interacts with Lady Tal and her circle, he grapples with his fascination for her character while reflecting on the deeper emotions and motivations beneath the societal facades. The narrative's rich descriptions and nuanced character dynamics hint at a gripping exploration of themes such as identity, duty, and the challenges of genuine emotional connection amidst a backdrop of performative elegance. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 66.3 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. en English fiction PR Text Category: Short Stories Category: British Literature 387501 2025-08-14T05:43:13.256632 text/html 390147 2010-11-08T14:30:51 text/html 507090 2025-08-14T05:43:21.916593 application/epub+zip 510590 2025-08-14T05:43:16.446690 application/epub+zip 220072 2025-08-14T05:43:15.063697 application/epub+zip 536160 2025-08-14T05:43:25.762589 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 512345 2025-08-14T05:43:20.765735 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 336454 2022-09-15T14:35:16.253231 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 355721 2025-08-14T05:43:12.580718 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 355467 2010-11-08T14:25:47 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 355510 2010-11-08T14:25:47 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 20242 2025-08-14T05:43:25.905609 application/rdf+xml 15977 2025-08-14T05:43:15.555626 image/jpeg 4279 2025-08-14T05:43:15.309656 image/jpeg 137825 2010-11-08T14:25:47 application/octet-stream application/zip 352306 2010-11-08T14:33:51 application/octet-stream application/zip 137767 2010-11-08T14:25:47 application/octet-stream application/zip 460086 2025-08-14T05:43:13.295613 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia