From the Phantom of the Louvre collection London, 1829. Two criminal enclaves battle for supremacy south of the Thames. Second in a steampunk collection from 2015 (notice: no real or virtual steam was applied in this particular story). ~5,200 words.
Take an unforgettable trip to another plane of existence in The Mummy and Miss Nitocriss: A Phantasy of the Fourth Dimension, a wild, rollicking sci-fi novel from author George Chetwynd Griffith. This tale blends a remarkable melange of zany characters and impossible-to-predict plot twists into one seamless -- and eminently entertaining -- package.
When but a child of seven my uncle placed me in a private school in which one of the so-called redeemed sub-sailors was a teacher of the German language. As I look back now, in the light of my present knowledge, I better comprehend the docile humility and carefully nurtured ignorance of this man.