What Befell Mr. Middleton because of the Eighth

Name: What Befell Mr. Middleton because of the Eighth and Last Gift of The
Author: Wardon Allan Curtis

Mr. Middleton, while transporting a collection of gifts, discovers an enclosed, mysterious bundle that he initially suspects contains an animal. Upon untying the bag, he finds a beautiful Moslem slave—a young odalisque—whose vulnerable state and sorrowful features awaken in him a sudden, profound tender sympathy. The stark contrast between her downtrodden condition and her inherent loveliness stirs in him a mix of chivalrous compassion and possessive delight. Initially overwhelmed by the emotion of the moment, he tenderly cares for her—placing her on a plush sofa, soothing her with gentle caresses, and even bestowing a caring kiss that momentarily seems to promise mutual comfort and perhaps a budding love. In the midst of his compassionate fervor, his own desires and ideals become evident. He is impulsively drawn to this exotic beauty yet finds himself oscillating between the allure of her tragic fate and the refined image of a respectable, virtuous American woman whom he reveres. During the night, after their intimate encounter on a shared bed—accentuated by symbolic gestures like his placement of a pistol as a surrogate of a chivalric guard—the two are left in a fragile state where physical closeness contests with idealized visions. In the quiet hours that follow, he reawakens to find her calmly smoking and composed, a reminder of the reality that her habits betray. Her tobacco-stained fingers and relaxed demeanor contrast sharply with the pristine, idealized purity of the young lady of Englewood, whose image haunts his thoughts as the epitome of uncorrupted, wholesome virtue. Compelled by these conflicting sentiments, Mr. Middleton resolves that the odalisque, now clearly destined to be both object and object of his transient guardianship, must be given a proper future. His solution is pragmatic: he arranges for her to be married off. Consulting a matrimonial agency, he meets a client—a seemingly refined but peculiarly deaf gentleman—who, despite his limitations, is deemed an appropriate match. The arranged union, subtly transactional in nature, is presented as the only feasible reclamation of her dignity and a way to provide her with a secure position, despite the cultural and moral chasms that separate the world that produced her from the one he idealizes. This decision is fraught with internal contradictions for Mr. Middleton. Although his actions are motivated by a mix of genuine compassion and a desire to enforce a sort of social order, they are equally tainted by his self-serving need to rid himself of the burdensome intimacy that distracts him from his aspiration toward a more refined, American ideal. His recollection of the Puritan values personified by the young lady of Englewood underscores the dissonance between his fleeting, warm indulgence toward the odalisque and the steadfast, almost sacrosanct image of the woman he truly wishes to possess—a woman of “pure” and respectable lineage. In the end, after the formalities of the arranged marriage are set in motion and the odalisque is left in the incapable hands of others, Mr. Middleton finds himself irresistibly drawn again to the emblem of his idealized past. He appears unexpectedly before the young lady of Englewood, thus symbolically closing one chapter of chaotic, morally ambivalent passion and opening another in pursuit of a love that conforms to his cherished socio-cultural values.

By Wardon Allan Curtis · First published 1979 · Genre: Satire, Erotic Fiction, Historical Fiction · 5,769 words

First lines

Emir.

What this Textopian page supports

What Befell Mr. Middleton because of the Eighth and Last Gift of The is listed on Textopian as a short story by Wardon Allan Curtis, dated 1979 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Short story
Author: Wardon Allan Curtis
Date: 1979 CE
Language: English
Genres: Satire, Erotic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Social Critique
Length: 5,769 words
Structure: 1 section, 49 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for What Befell Mr. Middleton because of the Eighth and Last Gift of The by Wardon Allan Curtis
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
Readability and classroom-planning context
Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering What Befell Mr. Middleton because of the Eighth and Last Gift of The?
How does this short story by Wardon Allan Curtis fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Satire first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Satire — Employs biting irony to critique social customs, cultural prejudices, and gender roles.
Erotic Fiction — Features explicit sensual encounters and detailed descriptions of physical intimacy.
Historical Fiction — Incorporates period settings, contrasting Puritan values with Eastern exoticism.
Romance — Centers on love, courtship, and the complex dynamics of intimate relationships.