Pauline's Passion and Punishment

Much better than its Gothic potboiler predecessor, with a cast of unruly and dislikable characters that you keep reading to find more about. This read more like a dark, perilous soap opera, with all of the foreign drama and intrigue that was appropriate for the time. Having heroism meet its death at the hands of a madman, Alcott really explored something here. Although of course, there are things I would have preferred to see, instead of being told about it ( such as Gilbert's “mission” to infiltrate ) but then it wouldn't have been a short story. It delivered what it promised, and I'm pleased with it.