“The narrator comes to meet honey-colored Katell in a hotel on the Boulevard Magenta.” "I asked for a room and furnished priceless papers to ensure the young miss of my honest identity. The passport I presented was one I used in all hotels scarce of amenities, in want of luxury; rooms I planned to stay in a mere night and no more. It was a weathered passport, and had to be smoothed out to be read correctly. ..." [Read Excerpt]

“The narrator composes his 'Hero's Tale' in the Faubourg St-Germain.” "No place ever inspired me to compose illuminated psalms as did the Faubourg Saint Germain. What a beautiful night to go vagabonding through antique Parisian streets… A gorgeous night to breathe the fresh air of creation on balconies, on rooftops, the sky draped over a siren’s moistened braids; the stars are pearls nested in her hair, and I laugh as she kisses me. O, how happy I am tonight!...'" [Read Excerpt]

“Chasing the virgin Daphné in the Bois de Boulogne; and the rooftop banquet.” "I approached the white-gowned girl, my eyes fixed on where her summer flesh met the hem of her cotton summer wear. I scanned her with the stealth of a hunter-beast who, in a mere glance, can tell where the meaty parts are on the limbs of prey and sees whether or not it is worth the chase...." [Read Excerpt]

“The 'Victory Horse' Soliloquy” - building the wooden wine-carrier to supply a feast with wine. "On the rue de Buci, we passed saw a blacksmith stoking a fire to hammer out glowing rods of iron. On the rue de Seine, we saw peasant woman taking a child to leave it to be exposed. Somewhere along the way, Niels procured a sort of tin canister with ridges; and, using a small wooden baton to swipe at its side, he made a rhythm that we could all march to. We all had our hearts set on the great feast that would be made with our wine down along the quai..." [Read Excerpt]

“Meeting the Spanish dovelette, Palomita, in a room in Saint Germain des Prés.” "'I like that song. Why did you stop? . . . You know, if I don’t get into fashion school, I have to go back to Sevilla to my parents’ house.' 'Nonsense! You could stay in Paris and join with some other little gypsies like yourself. You all can run around Paris in colorful dresses picking pockets and telling fortunes. Tell me the future, my beautiful Spaniardess...'" [Read Excerpt]

“Excerpt from 'The Midsummer Soliloquy' ...summer parties and seaport adventures.” "Felix and I had a good stack of cash now, and we went quickly up to the room to count it and put it away. That night, we invited two short, dark-haired Swedish girls, one from Stockholm, the other from Göteborg, to come up to our room..." [Read Excerpt]

“The Athens Digression... the narrator composes a tale of two star-crossed lovers in Greece.” "'Enough of this! Time to work!' ... Back at my desk, I took again the pen to my happy hand… 'The story goes: a girl had been married young to a wealthy Salamis merchant who was already old and disagreeable, but she was in love with a poor, yet handsome, youth (who was very romantic, as poor youths usually are)....'" [Read Excerpt]

“Narrator meets the strange 'Anne-Sophie' on the quai of the Seine. The two go into a café.” "'Listen,' I finally said to the girl, 'we have been standing here now looking at each other for over ten minutes. And twice now you have tried to take my hand. Or at least it seems as if that were what you were trying to do. And I would let you certainly, or I would take yours gladly for you have an incomprehensible beauty, but dear girl . . . have you no coat?!!...'" [Read Excerpt]

“'Ode to Spring' - the lyric poem written by the narrator as he sits in the Parc Monceau.” "So the nymphs they spoke, We kissed and laid, By noontime’s hour, Our love was made, Like braided chains of crocus stems, We lay entwined, I laid with them, Our breath, one glassy, tideless sea, Our bodies draping wearily. We slept, I slept so lucidly, with hopes to stay this memory..." [Read Excerpt]