Transcribed from the 1915 Methuen and Co. edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org [Picture: Book cover] * * * * * TO CONSTANCE MARY WILDE * * * * * A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES BY OSCAR WILDE * * * * * METHUEN & CO. LTD. 36 ESSEX STREET W.C. LONDON _Seventh Edition_ _First Published_ 1891 _First Issued by Methuen and Co._ (_Limited Editions on 1908 Handmade Paper and Japanese Vellum_) _Third Edition_ (_F’cap._ 8_vo_) 1909 _Fourth Edition_ ( ,, ) 1911 _Fifth Edition_ ( ,, ) 1913 _Sixth Edition_ (_Crown_ 4_to_, _Illustrated by Jessie 1915 King_) _Seventh Edition_ (_F’cap._ 8_vo_) 1915 CONTENTS PAGE THE YOUNG KING 1 THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA 31 THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL 73 THE STAR-CHILD 147 THE YOUNG KING TO MARGARET LADY BROOKE [THE RANEE OF SARAWAK] IT was the night before the day fixed for his coronation, and the young King was sitting alone in his beautiful chamber. His courtiers had all taken their leave of him, bowing their heads to the ground, according to the ceremonious usage of the day, and had retired to the Great Hall of the Palace, to receive a few last lessons from the Professor of Etiquette; there being some of them who had still quite natural manners, which in a courtier is, I need hardly say, a very grave offence. The lad—for he was only a lad, being but sixteen years of age—was not sorry at their departure, and had flung himself back with a deep sigh of relief on the soft cushions of his embroidered couch, lying there, wild-eyed and open-mouthed, like a brown woodland Faun, or some young animal of the forest newly snared by the hunters.