The Confidence-Man: His MasqueradeThe name Herman Melville is synonymous with the pinnacle of American literary achievement, and many regard his novel Moby-Dick as the quintessential work of American fiction. In The Confidence-Man, Melville's final major novel, the author explores the motivations, travails, and personalities of a group of boat passengers en route to New Orleans, as well as the mysterious trickster figure who riles things up at the margins of the group. |
Contents
7 | |
14 | |
20 | |
35 | |
47 | |
Chapter VI At the Outset of Which Certain Passengers Prove Deaf to the Call of Charity | 54 |
Chapter VII A Gentleman with Gold SleeveButtons | 67 |
Chapter VIII A Charitable Lady | 81 |
Chapter XXIV A Philanthropist Undertakes to Convert a Misanthrope but Does Not Get Beyond Confuting Him | 245 |
Chapter XXV The Cosmopolitan Makes an Acquaintance | 260 |
Chapter XXVI Containing the Metaphysics of IndianHating According to the Views of One Evidently Not so Prepossessed as Rouss | 268 |
Chapter XXVII Some Account of a Man of Questionable Morality but Who Nevertheless Would Seem Entitled to the Esteem of that | 281 |
Chapter XXVIII Moot Points Touching the Late Colonel John Moredock | 288 |
Chapter XXIX The Boon Companions | 295 |
Chapter XXX Opening with a Poetical Eulogy of the Press and Continuing with Talk Inspired by the Same | 308 |
Chapter XXXI A Metamorphosis More Surprising than Any in Ovid | 330 |
Chapter IX Two Business Men Transact a Little Business | 86 |
Chapter X In the Cabin | 97 |
Chapter XI Only a Page or So | 107 |
Chapter XII Story of the Unfortunate Man from Which May Be Gathered Whether or No He Has Been Justly so Entitled | 110 |
Chapter XIII The Man with the TravelingCap Evinces Much Humanity and in a Way Which Would Seem to Show Him to Be One of the | 116 |
Chapter XIV Worth the Consideration of Those to Whom it May Prove Worth Considering | 125 |
Chapter XV An Old Miser Upon Suitable Representations is Prevailed Upon to Venture an Investment | 130 |
Chapter XVI A Sick Man After Some Impatience is Induced to Become a Patient | 140 |
Chapter XVII Towards the End of Which the HerbDoctor Proves Himself a Forgiver of Injuries | 154 |
Chapter XVIII Inquest into the True Character of the HerbDoctor | 164 |
Chapter XIX A Soldier of Fortune | 171 |
Chapter XX Reappearance of One Who May Be Remembered | 187 |
Chapter XXI A Hard Case | 198 |
Chapter XXII In the Polite Spirit of the Tusculan Disputations | 213 |
Chapter XXIII In Which the Powerful Effect of Natural Scenery is Evinced in the Case of the Missourian Who in View of the Re | 242 |
Chapter XXXII Showing that the Age of Magic and Magicians is Not Yet Over | 332 |
Chapter XXXIII Which May Pass for Whatever it May Prove to Be Worth | 335 |
Chapter XXXIV In Which the Cosmopolitan Tells the Story of the Gentleman Madman | 338 |
Chapter XXXV In Which the Cosmopolitan Strikingly Evinces the Artlessness of His Nature | 342 |
Chapter XXXVI In Which the Cosmopolitan is Accosted by a Mystic Whereupon Ensues Pretty Much Such Talk as Might Be Expected | 344 |
Chapter XXXVII The Mystical Master Introduces the Practical Disciple | 359 |
Chapter XXXVIII The Disciple Unbends and Consents to Act a Social Part | 363 |
Chapter XXXIX The Hypothetical Friends | 366 |
Chapter XL In Which the Story of China Aster is at SecondHand Told by One Who While Not Disapproving the Moral Disclaims th | 378 |
Chapter XLI Ending with a Rupture of the Hypothesis | 400 |
Chapter XLII Upon the Heel of the Last Scene the Cosmopolitan Enters the Barbers Shop a Benediction on His Lips | 406 |
Chapter XLIII Very Charming | 416 |
Chapter XLIV In Which the Last Three Words of the Last Chapter Are Made the Text of Discourse Which Will Be Sure of Receiving | 430 |
Chapter XLV The Cosmopolitan Increases in Seriousness | 434 |
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Common terms and phrases
added appear barber believe better boat Chapter character charity Charlie China Aster coming confidence cosmopolitan cried dear distrust dollars don't effect experience expression face fact feel fellow Frank genial give hand hard head hear heard heart herb-doctor hold hope human Indian interest keep kind least leave less light live loan look manner mean merchant mind nature never observed once Orchis original pain perhaps person philosophy Plain poor Pray present prove question reason remain replied respected seemed sense short side sort soul speak spirit stand story strange stranger suppose sure talk tell thing thought told true trust truth turned unfortunate voice whole wine young