OFFICE OF SOCRATES POTTER
Pointview, Conn.
To the Honorable Judges of Decency and Good Behavior the World Over:
My friend, the novelist, has prevailed upon me to write this brief in behalf of my country and against certain feudal tendencies therein. I have tried to tell the truth, but with that moderation which becomes a lawyer of my age 'and experience. It is bad manners to give a guest more wine than he can carry or more truth than he can believe. In these pages there is enough wine, I hope, for the necessary illusion, and enough truth, I know, for the satisfaction of my conscience. I hasten, to add that there is not enough of wine or truth to stagger those who are not accustomed to the use of-either. I warned the novelist that nothing could be more unfortunate for me than that I should betray a talent for fiction. He assures me that my reputation is not in danger.
CONTENTS
[ I.—IN WHICH MR. POTTER PRESENTS THE SINGULAR DILEMMA OF WHITFIELD NORRIS, MULTIMILLIONAIRE ]
[ II.—MY INTERVIEW WITH THE PIRATE ]
[ III.—IN WHICH A MAN IS SEEN HOLDING DOWN THE BUSHEL THAT HIDES HIS LIGHT ]
[ IV.—A RATHER SWIFT ADVENTURE WITH THE PIRATE ]
[ V.—IN WHICH WE HAVE AN AMUSING VOYAGE ]
[ VI.—WE ARRIVE IN THE LAND OF LOVE AND SONG ]
[ VII.—IN WHICH I TEACH THE DIFFICULT ART OF BEING AN AMERICAN IN ITALY ]
[ VIII.—I AGREE TO FIGHT A DUEL AND NAME A WEAPON WITH WHICH EUROPEAN GENTLEMEN ARE UNFAMILIAR ]
[ IX.—A MODERN AMERICAN MARRYER ENTERS THE SCENE ]
[ X.—A DAY OF ADVENTURES WITH TUSCAN ARTISTS AND OTHERS ]
[ XI.—IN WHICH WE GET INTO THE FLASH AND GLITTER OF HIGH LIFE ]
[ XII.—IN WHICH NORRIS TAKES HIS LIGHT FROM UNDER THE BUSHEL ]
[ XIII.—IN WHICH I FIGHT A DUEL WITH ONE OF THE OLDEST WEAPONS IN THE WORLD ]
[ XIV.—MISS GWENDOLYN DEFINES HER POSITION ]
[ XV.—SOMETHING HAPPENS TO THE MAN MUGGS ]