Early talent and later mastery are both evident in the four narratives by Henry James, two of which appear for the first time in German in this volume. A murder plot that ends in a disastrous mistake, a shattered dream of life, the relativity of perspective, and a tragicomic misunderstanding: James' protagonists are young American and European women who, like the author himself, navigate the tension between the Old World and the New World, thus echoing the main themes of his literary work. The four stories impress with their unflinching social criticism, their modern exploration of the (especially female) psyche, the use of various perspectives, and they captivate with polished expressions and breathtaking metaphors, infused with unchanged wit and timeless beauty.