02273cam a22003013u 4500 20243 UtSlPG 20260610133452.0 m cr n 260607r2007||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PR Merriman, Henry Seton, 1862-1903 Dross Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2007 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Release date is 2007-01-01 E-text prepared by Barbara Tozier, Bill Tozier, Sankar Viswanathan, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team "Dross" by Henry Seton Merriman is a novel set during the late 19th century. The story opens amidst the celebrations in Paris marking the centenary of Napoleon Bonaparte's birth, creating a backdrop of political intrigue, societal change, and personal struggles. The protagonist, Dick Howard, a man with a checkered past and complicated family ties, finds himself drawn to the world of the Vicomte de Clericy and his daughter Lucille, setting the stage for themes of love, deception, and a search for identity. At the start of the novel, Dick Howard reflects on the spectacle of the commemorative event, mingling with various social classes and feeling out of place in the grandeur surrounding him. After an amusing yet revealing encounter with an old friend, John Turner, and a chance interaction with Monsieur and Mademoiselle de Clericy, he impulsively seeks employment as a secretary for the Vicomte. As Howard navigates his new life, he is introduced to the charming but naïve Lucille, who captivates him. The early chapters effectively establish the interplay between Dick's concealed motives, his growing feelings for Lucille, and the impending societal upheaval, suggesting a narrative rich in both personal and historical tension. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified France -- History -- Second Empire, 1852-1870 -- Fiction https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/20243 61528 61528