• "Her Enemy"

A contemplation of a woman's happiness and trust in her marriage despite the doubts of others.

• "'Aquæ Multae Non--'"

A three-part story expanded from "When Art Was Young: A Romance in Two Parts" to make Felice and Ilario's relationship explicitly romantic. The lover of a genius pianist abandons him to seek his own false fame. Originally published in The Christian Union (Nov 1, 1883): Part 1. Part 2.

• "Amiability: A Conversational Tragedy"

A story of philosophy, wit, and unspoken things between two friends separated over time. Originally published in The Atlantic Monthly as "Amiability: A Philosophical Tragedy" (Oct 1883).

• "Professor Jovanny's Funeral"

A farcical story of a Nevada town's attempt to organize a funeral for a late hotel pianist. Originally published in The Manhattan (Jul 1883).

• "Once—But Not Twice"

The story mirrors Prime-Stevenson's real love for Harry Harkness Flager—comparisons and letters can be found in "Appendix E" of Imre: A Memorandum (2003) ed. James J. Gifford. Originally published in The Independent (Oct 15, 1891).

• "An Astral Vengeance"

When two New Yorkers stay in North Salome, an invented town in Massachusetts, they enact a plan to hold a mirror to the resident's snobbish intellectualism. Originally published in The Independent as "A Scientific Vengeance" (Sep 25, 1890).

• "'Madonnesca'"

Primarily a monologue of the truth behind a vain and destructive woman as a parable against feminine innocence and idealism. Lieutenant Imre von N— of Imre: A Memorandum (1906) also makes a minor cameo.

• "The Pagoda: A Sectarian Insinuation"

A commentary on theological corruption through the fictional legend told by a tiger. Takes place in China, where a group of greedy priests rally to defend their worshippers from a group of Hindu missionaries.

• "Miss Matchlock's Luck-Penny"

After receiving an extra penny from a store for luck, the firmly un-superstitious Miss Matchlock returns home to a series of strange coincidences. Originally published in The Christian Union (Aug 24, 1882).

• "The Operatic Riddle of Julian Ost"

A dramatic monologue of a man driven mad by betrayal and isolation. He reflects on the past, describing what brought him to the current moment, and recounts in diary-like segments his struggle to answer the "riddle" he hears in music.

• "'A Cat May Look at a King'"

A fairy tale meant to explain the origin of the title, a popular proverb, by a cat outwitting an unscrupulous ape in the king's game of honor. Originally published in Harper's Young People (Mar 4, 1884) with an illustration by Frederick Stuart Church. Also published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel and Evening Sentinel (Nov 10, 1896)

• "Kate Dwyer"

A second tale—simple and action-packed—of a woman and her faith in a mysterious husband. Originally published in Cassell's Family Magazine as "Kate Moore's Wedding Trip" (Mar 1891) with an illustration by Edward Frederick Brewtnall.

• "The 'Seventeen-Bird'" aka "'The 'Seventeen-Bird' ('Der Siebezhen-vogel'): A Pious Tale with a Social Moral"

An origin story of the bird whose cries sound like "siebezhen." For mocking the simple pious and lying to defend itself and its friends, God curses the group of seventeen birds.

• "The Ring"

A monologue by a housekeeper about the romantic tragedy of her former charge, and a ring said to change color when misfortune befalls its wearer or someone loved by them. It briefly mentions Omar Khayam. Originally published in Godey's Lady's Book and Magazine as "The Black Ring."

• "Hidesato"

A story modeled after the legends of Fujiwara no Hidesato and written to resemble an oral tale. Recounts Hidesato's slaying of the centipede Jen on behalf of the dragon Suki, whose abode was Lake Omi.

• "The Sanguine"

A suspenseful monologue about a great-great-uncle, who spent time in an Italian villa to recover from a surgery. Two women appear in the neighboring villa—which was said to be unoccupied—and dominate his attention.

• "Madame Clerc"

A tragedy of an old ballet dancer, wasted by ill health and irrelevance, who is inspired to visions of the past by the sound of a hand-organ. Originally published in Vignettes: Real and Ideal: Stories from American Authors (1890).

• "Mrs. Gallup Entertains a Friend at Tea"

A gossipy monologue written in dialect about the unlikely fiancé of a dreadfully solemn minister. Briefly mentions The Course of Time (1827) by Robert Pollok and The Grave (1743) by Robert Blair as examples of miserable literature. Originally published in Lipponcott Magazine (Dec 1882).

• "Out of the Sun"

Takes place on Capri, where Lawrence Dayneford completes his preparations and reflections before suicide. The last chapter of a novelette named Into the Sun. Although meant to be privately printed, it is now lost. Notably, it contains a list of queer books and a translated excerpt of Sebastien au Plus Bel Age, the lost book by Xavier Mayne.

• "The Delusions of Paudeen"

A series of bucolic tales in dialect by Paudeen, whose ignorance of farm life is taken advantage of by other residents. Briefly references the Irish folk song "Let Erin Remember."

• "Liberty: A Fable"

A parable of tropical birds who, while locked in a hothouse aviary in winter by their owner, want to be free. Briefly references Thomas Carlyle. Originally published in Harper's Young People as "Three Paroquets" (Jan 15, 1884).

• "The Yellow Cucumber: A Nightmare"

A satire of the "Modern Woman," highlighting hypocrisies though a ridiculous caricature.

• "A Great Patience"

Some of its dialogue was reused in the untraced novellete, "The Creditor." Expanded from its originally published version in Scribner's Magazine (Jul 1887).

• "Weed and Flower: An Art Theory"

A debate over art, morality, and the nature of art. A priest recounts his love for a younger boy, his religious awakening in a dream (only a religious dream in the original, as he was already a seminarian when he experienced it), and he gives special mention to the Madonna of the Saint Sebastian by Correggio as a work of imperfect art that is nevertheless beloved by him (changed from Sistine Madonna by Raphael and The Immaculate Conception by Murillo). The "artistic temperament" is also debated as an immoral, degenerate affectation—not without irony. As footnoted, this conflict is the basis of Prime-Stevenson's novel Janus: A Matter of Temperament (1889). Elizabeth Barret Browning's "Aurora Leigh" is given brief mention for its art theory the priest shares. Expanded from its originally published version in The Looker-on (Sep 1896).

• "Unbidden"

Dr. Bond recounts, on the anniversary of the day he intended to commit suicide, the dream that saved him. A dream plays significant part in "Weed and Flower: An Art Theory," so the subtitle of this story references it.

• "A Prisoner Passes"

A epistolary monologue from Hilarious Geta to his companion Rutilius about his witnessing the procession of Jesus and the thieves led by Decius Lallius, a centurion. It is framed in context as a religious fragment in the Library of Confirmanda to state that all three characters—non-believers in the story—convert after its events. Originally published in The Atlantic Monthly as "Via Crucis" (Apr 1887).

• "Elek's Religion"

Béla, a Protestant candidatus, reflects on the much-diminished spirituality of his childhood friend, Elek Vida, before reading Elek's treatise letter on his beliefs. He does not believe in God's being able to communicate with man and that man is capable of understanding Him—only to guess at His will and to guess what that means for mankind's origin, future, and afterlife. Thus, all religions are man made and have human benefits or flaws. Of all religions, Elek asserts that Roman Catholicism is superior in strength, organization, and flexibility for people who need religion.

• "Sunrise-Water"