In the Library / The Lady of the Barge and Others, Part 6.

A collection of short stories that blend dark comedy, suspense, and maritime atmosphere, often focused on ordinary people pushed into extraordinary or morally compromised situations. Several pieces depict waterfront life and sailors' superstitions, while others confine the action to domestic rooms where pride, greed, or temper produce sudden violence and panicked attempts at escape. The narratives favor economy and ironic reversals, shifting between light, conversational humor and grim, detailed depictions of consequence, consistently examining how small errors and character flaws lead to unexpected ruin or bitterly comic outcomes.