CHAPTER XXXV. IN WHICH THE COSMOPOLITAN STRIKINGLY EVINCES THE ARTLESSNESS OF HIS NATURE.

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# CHAPTER XXXV. IN WHICH THE COSMOPOLITAN STRIKINGLY EVINCES THE ARTLESSNESS OF HIS NATURE. ## Overview This entity is a chapter from a novel, titled "CHAPTER XXXV. IN WHICH THE COSMOPOLITAN STRIKINGLY EVINCES THE ARTLESSNESS OF HIS NATURE." It is part of the novel [THE CONFIDENCE-MAN: HIS MASQUERADE.](arke:01KG8AJ86G6HP7TCHND218MWGA) and was extracted from the file [the_confidence_man.txt](arke:01KG89J1JMR8XVKPA0G8ADAPC4). ## Context This chapter is situated within the larger work [THE CONFIDENCE-MAN: HIS MASQUERADE.](arke:01KG8AJ86G6HP7TCHND218MWGA), a novel by Herman Melville. The text was extracted as part of the [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. This chapter follows [CHAPTER XXXIV. IN WHICH THE COSMOPOLITAN TELLS THE STORY OF THE GENTLEMAN MADMAN.](arke:01KG8AJMVHB3JWCPPBXFKE822Q) and precedes [CHAPTER XXXVI. IN WHICH THE COSMOPOLITAN IS ACCOSTED BY A MYSTIC, WHEREUPON ENSUES PRETTY MUCH SUCH TALK AS MIGHT BE EXPECTED.](arke:01KG8AJMVHXZ1WH9JRWME9D7FK). ## Contents The chapter contains dialogue between two characters, Frank and Charlie. Charlie expresses that he feels unwell, attributing it to an "elixir of logwood." Frank corrects him, stating that Charlie has been drinking "genuine, mellow old port" and suggests he retire to sleep it off. The conversation touches upon the nature of stories, distinguishing between fiction and fact, and questions the justification of certain motives within human society, using the example of Charlemont's actions.

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2026-01-30T20:48:40.706Z

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gemini-2.5-flash-lite

description_title

CHAPTER XXXV. IN WHICH THE COSMOPOLITAN STRIKINGLY EVINCES THE ARTLESSNESS OF HIS NATURE.

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8249

extracted_at

2026-01-30T20:47:36.061Z

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structure-extraction-lambda

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01KG89J1JMR8XVKPA0G8ADAPC4

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8211

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CHAPTER XXXV. IN WHICH THE COSMOPOLITAN STRIKINGLY EVINCES THE ARTLESSNESS OF HIS NATURE. "Well, what do you think of the story of Charlemont?" mildly asked he who had told it. "A very strange one," answered the auditor, who had been such not with perfect ease, "but is it true?" "Of course not; it is a story which I told with the purpose of every story-teller--to amuse. Hence, if it seem strange to you, that strangeness is the romance; it is what contrasts it with real life; it is the invention, in brief, the fiction as opposed to the fact. For do but ask yourself, my dear Charlie," lovingly leaning over towards him, "I rest it with your own heart now, whether such a forereaching motive as Charlemont hinted he had acted on in his change--whether such a motive, I say, were a sort of one at all justified by the nature of human society? Would you, for one, turn the cold shoulder to a friend--a convivial one, say, whose pennilessness should be suddenly revealed to you?" "How can you ask me, my dear Frank? You know I would scorn such meanness." But rising somewhat disconcerted--"really, early as it is, I think I must retire; my head," putting up his hand to it, "feels unpleasantly; this confounded elixir of logwood, little as I drank of it, has played the deuce with me." "Little as you drank of this elixir of logwood? Why, Charlie, you are losing your mind. To talk so of the genuine, mellow old port. Yes, I think that by all means you had better away, and sleep it off. There--don't apologize--don't explain--go, go--I understand you exactly. I will see you to-morrow."

title

CHAPTER XXXV. IN WHICH THE COSMOPOLITAN STRIKINGLY EVINCES THE ARTLESSNESS OF HIS NATURE.