The Figure in the Carpet

A literary critic is thrilled to receive a hint from renowned novelist Hugh Vereker that his works contain a hidden, all-encompassing meaning—a secret pattern woven like a figure in a carpet. Obsessed with uncovering this mystery, the critic embarks on a futile quest that consumes his life, as the truth always seems just out of reach. The Figure in the Carpet is a short by Henry James, originally published in 1896. HENRY JAMES [1843 -1916] was born in New York but emigrated to Europe early in life. He is one of the most important figures in Anglo-Saxon turn-of-the-century literature, with novels such as The American [1877] and the horror novel The Turn of the Screw [1898].