Thomas Hardy, an English novelist and poet, failed to find a publisher for his first novel. He then showed it to his mentor and friend, the Victorian poet and novelist, George Meredith, who felt that The Poor Man and the Lady would be too politically controversial and might damage Hardy's ability to publish in the future. So Hardy followed his advice and he did not try further to publish it. He subsequently destroyed the manuscript but used some of the ideas in his later work. Hardy has been a significant influence on a great number of writers. For example, he was clearly the starting point for the character of the novelist Edward Driffield in W. Somerset Maugham's novel Cakes and Ale. The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion is a short story full of selfishness, conflict, commitment, freedom, social opinion, independence and love. Phyllis lives in her secluded world and becomes so happy when loved by a young German soldier of 22 years called Tina Mattthäus who serves in the British York Hussars. As it is against the rules of the society at that time to marry such a fellow, Mattthäus asks Phyllis to fly with him to Germany. He makes all preparations and she even agrees. When it is time to leave with him, however, it happens that her fiancé Humphrey Gould returns. Now torn between two passions, she makes up her mind that she should be faithful to her promise by getting married to Humphrey. Try to listen online to English audiobook "The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion” for free and enjoy the story.
