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Explore original works, translations, and curated public-domain editions. ARTales is being built as a living library: a place where texts keep their structure, context, editions, and reading layers.

Obálka díla The Hour of the Dragon

Public domain

The Hour of the Dragon

Author: Robert E. Howard

Language: English

The Hour of the Dragon opens a world where kingdoms rest not only on thrones and crowns, but on the courage to stand when everything has been taken away. Conan is not merely a warrior here, but a force that refuses to break beneath betrayal, sorcery, and ancient threats. The story carries the rough grandeur of old legends, the darkness of forgotten powers, and the restless pull of adventure. A book for readers who want to feel the breath of an older world, where fate is claimed through will, steel, and an unyielding heart.

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Obálka díla A Tale of Two Cities

Public domain

A Tale of Two Cities

Author: Charles Dickens

Language: English

A Tale of Two Cities is one of those books in which private lives burn against the backdrop of history. Dickens evokes a world shaken by fear, anger, and the longing for justice, yet the novel is most moving where it reveals the quiet strength of love, loyalty, and sacrifice. More than a portrait of a turbulent age, it reminds us that even in the midst of chaos, the human heart may find the courage to act beyond itself.

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Obálka díla The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Public domain

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Author: Agatha Christie

Language: English

One of Agatha Christie’s most celebrated mysteries, in which Hercule Poirot investigates the shocking murder of Roger Ackroyd in the quiet village of King’s Abbot. As secrets, lies, and hidden motives surface, Poirot unravels a brilliantly constructed puzzle that challenges the reader at every step. The novel is famous for its daring twist and remains a landmark of detective fiction.

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Obálka díla Sons and Lovers

Public domain

Sons and Lovers

Author: D. H. Lawrence

Language: English

Sons and Lovers is a book about feelings that shape us before we fully understand them. Lawrence portrays family closeness as something deeply tender and painfully binding at once — a space where love can offer support, but also become difficult to step away from. It is a novel about the maturing of the heart, about guilt, desire, and the search for one’s own voice among the people we love. That is why it still feels so alive: it reminds us that the path toward oneself often leads through the relationships that formed us most deeply.

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Obálka díla The Return of Sherlock Holmes

Public domain

The Return of Sherlock Holmes

Author: Arthur Conan Doyle

Language: English

A compelling collection marking Sherlock Holmes’s dramatic return after his presumed death at Reichenbach. These thirteen stories follow Holmes and Watson as they confront blackmailers, impostors, secret societies, and intricate deceptions across London. Blending sharp deduction with atmospheric tension, the volume reestablishes Holmes as the unrivaled master of investigative brilliance.

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Obálka díla Lady Chatterley's lover

Public domain

Lady Chatterley's lover

Author: D. H. Lawrence

Language: English

Lady Chatterley’s Lover is a book about longing to feel life again — not as a social role, a duty, or a quiet form of endurance, but as nearness, breath, touch, and shared understanding. It tells of two people who awaken in one another something long silenced: tenderness, courage, and the ability to be truly present. There is pain as well as gentleness here, and the fragile strength of a body becoming a path back to the soul. It reminds us that love can also be a return to one’s own aliveness.

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Obálka díla The War of the Worlds

Public domain

The War of the Worlds

Author: H. G. Wells

Language: English

The War of the Worlds has the force of a night-time report no one quite wants to believe. Into quiet streets, gardens, and country roads comes something that suddenly strips humanity of the feeling that the world is understood and safely its own. Wells evokes not only fear of visitors from the stars, but the strange vertigo of finding humankind cast as the weaker, observed creature. That is what still makes the book so powerful: it turns our gaze upward — and then back upon ourselves.

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Obálka díla My Brilliant Career

Public domain

My Brilliant Career

Author: Miles Franklin

Language: English

Some books seem to carry the wind of open country and a voice that refuses to grow quiet. My Brilliant Career invites readers into the company of a young mind alive with restlessness, imagination, and the desire for a life not already decided. It holds sharpness and tenderness, defiance and vulnerability, laughter and the ache of a world that asks for obedience where the heart longs for freedom. That is why it still feels so fresh: a reminder that one’s own path sometimes begins with the refusal to become smaller than one feels.

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Obálka díla The Decameron

Public domain

The Decameron

Author: Giovanni Boccaccio

Language: English

A landmark collection of one hundred stories framed by a group of young Florentines seeking refuge from the plague. Their tales range from comic and romantic to tragic and morally reflective, capturing the vibrancy, wit, and humanity of medieval life. Boccaccio’s work blends sharp social insight with lively storytelling, making it a cornerstone of European literature.

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Obálka díla The Shadow Over Innsmouth

Public domain

The Shadow Over Innsmouth

Author: H. P. Lovecraft

Language: English

The Shadow Over Innsmouth is one of those stories in which unease arrives quietly, step by step. Deserted streets, strange glances, and a town turned away from the world create an atmosphere that slowly settles beneath the reader’s skin. Lovecraft is not dealing only with fear of the unknown here, but with the sense that the past can leave marks deeper than we are willing to admit. It is a story for moments when mystery draws us in precisely because we suspect we should not come too close.

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Obálka díla Red Shadows

Public domain

Red Shadows

Author: Robert E. Howard

Language: English

Red Shadows carries the dark pull of old adventure tales, where justice asks nothing about comfort or safety. Solomon Kane moves through the world like a man driven by a restless conscience — stern, solitary, and unwilling to turn away from evil. Howard’s story draws us in with its harsh atmosphere, distant horizons, and the sense that some journeys begin not with a thirst for glory, but with the need to face darkness. It is a tale for readers ready to step into a world of shadows, blades, and relentless resolve.

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Obálka díla Heart of Darkness

Public domain

Heart of Darkness

Author: Joseph Conrad

Language: English

Heart of Darkness is not only a journey into an unknown landscape, but a descent toward questions people often prefer not to face. Conrad’s work carries a dense, unsettling power: the land, the silence, and human ambition gradually become something disturbingly uncertain. It does not draw readers in with easy answers, but with the unease it leaves behind. It reminds us that darkness may not lie far beyond civilisation — sometimes it waits much closer than we wish to believe.

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Obálka díla Little Women

Public domain

Little Women

Author: Louisa May Alcott

Language: English

Home is not always a place. Sometimes, it is the people with whom we share our joys, losses, and hopes for the future. Little Women follows four sisters, each searching for her own path while holding on to the bond that connects them. Beneath the quiet rhythm of everyday life lies a story about growing up, family, and the changes time inevitably brings. Readers return to this novel for its warmth, humanity, and gentle reminder that the simplest moments are often the ones we cherish most.

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Obálka díla Dracula

Public domain

Dracula

Author: Bram Stoker

Language: English

Some books become famous long before we ever open them, and Dracula is often one of them. Yet beyond the story of a mysterious count lies a world of growing unease, unfamiliar places, and tension that builds almost unnoticed. Perhaps that is why it still feels so vivid today — some fears never fade as much as we imagine.

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Obálka díla The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes

Public domain

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes

Author: Arthur Conan Doyle

Language: English

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of twelve detective stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, following Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as they solve a wide range of mysteries. The stories showcase Holmes’s deductive brilliance, explore darker themes, and introduce key figures such as Mycroft Holmes and Professor Moriarty. Cases range from the disappearance of a racehorse in Silver Blaze to ancient family secrets in The Musgrave Ritual, early episodes from Holmes’s youth in The Gloria Scott, and political intrigue in The Naval Treaty. The collection culminates in The Final Problem, where Holmes confronts Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls in what was intended to be the detective’s final appearance

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Obálka díla Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Public domain

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Author: Lewis Carroll

Language: English

What happens when we decide to follow something that makes very little sense? Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland begins with a fall into a world where size changes without warning, animals speak, and questions often matter more than answers. Beneath its playful absurdity lies a story that can feel both enchanting and disorienting — perhaps that is why readers find something different in it at every stage of life.

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Obálka díla Frankenstein

Public domain

Frankenstein

Author: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Language: English

What begins to change when someone crosses a boundary once thought impossible? Often remembered for its scientific experiment, Frankenstein is, beneath the surface, a surprisingly human story about loneliness, responsibility, and choices that cannot easily be undone. A novel that often surprises readers by how deeply human it truly feels.

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Obálka díla Jane Eyre

Public domain

Jane Eyre

Author: Charlotte Brontë

Language: English

Some books stay with us not only because of the story, but because of the person at their centre. Jane Eyre follows a young woman searching for her place in the world, for independence, and for love without losing herself along the way. Alongside mystery and strong emotion, it becomes an unexpectedly intimate story about trusting one’s own heart while holding on to one’s sense of self.

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Obálka díla Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

Public domain

Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

Author: Mark Twain

Language: English

At first glance, an adventure story — but underneath, a journey shaped by conscience, freedom, and the search for one’s own path. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn lets its protagonist move through a world without easy answers, and its questions still feel unexpectedly relevant today. Some books grow alongside their readers, and this may be one of them.

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Obálka díla Metamorphosis

Public domain

Metamorphosis

Author: Franz Kafka

Language: German

Some books stay with us from their very first sentence, and Metamorphosis is certainly one of them. What first appears absurd soon becomes unexpectedly familiar: a story of alienation, family ties, and the quiet feeling of slowly becoming unintelligible to the people around us. A short work carrying far more feeling than its reputation might first suggest.

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Obálka díla Moby Dick

Public domain

Moby Dick

Author: Herman Melville

Language: English

The sea here is not merely a setting, but a force that tests, tempts, and consumes. Moby-Dick belongs to those stories in which desire slowly hardens into obsession, and courage crosses into something far more dangerous. Beneath its vastness lies adventure, fate, and the unsettling question of whether a person is truly struggling against the world outside — or against something within himself.

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Obálka díla Siddhartha

Public domain

Siddhartha

Author: Hermann Hesse

Language: German

Some journeys do not lead across landscapes, but through silence, doubt, and the longing to understand one’s own life. Siddhartha is a book about a search that cannot be borrowed from others or hurried to its end. In a calm voice, it speaks of the restlessness of a person seeking meaning through lived experience. Its quiet power lies in this simplicity: it does not hand the reader an answer, but gently invites them to begin asking their own questions.

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Obálka díla The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsène Lupin

Public domain

The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsène Lupin

Author: Maurice Leblanc

Language: French

Not every thief earns a reader’s affection. Arsène Lupin, however, belongs to that rare breed of characters whose charm, wit, and ability to stay one step ahead make him difficult to resist. The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsène Lupin offers a world of disguises, clever schemes, and shifting identities, where the journey is often every bit as entertaining as the outcome.

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Obálka díla The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Public domain

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Author: Washington Irving

Language: English

If some stories seem made for autumn evenings, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow surely belongs among them. In a landscape shaped by whispered legends and quiet uncertainty, the line between reality and imagination slowly begins to blur. Some stories do not frighten us outright — they simply make us glance over our shoulder a little longer.

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Obálka díla The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg

Public domain

The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg

Author: Mark Twain

Language: English

Hadleyburg is a town proud of its spotless reputation — and that is exactly what makes its certainty so fragile. The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg is one of those stories that first makes us smile, then slowly reveals how sharply it cuts into pride, hypocrisy, and the wish to appear better than we are. With wit and irony, Twain reminds us that virtue may be at its most vulnerable when it is most proudly displayed.

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Obálka díla The Mystery of the Blue Train

Public domain

The Mystery of the Blue Train

Author: Agatha Christie

Language: English

Some mysteries draw us in through their secrets; others because of the person determined to uncover them. The Mystery of the Blue Train combines elegant surroundings, carefully hidden truths, and clues that reveal their significance only gradually. Presiding over it all is Hercule Poirot, a detective whose insight into human nature is every bit as compelling as his talent for solving crimes.

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Obálka díla The Phantom of the Opera

Public domain

The Phantom of the Opera

Author: Gaston Leroux

Language: English

Some love stories are far removed from fairy tales. The Phantom of the Opera unfolds in a world of music, admiration, and mystery, while quietly exploring loneliness, longing, and feelings that struggle to find their place. Perhaps that is why it lingers not only as a tale of suspense, but also with a certain melancholy.

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Obálka díla The Picture of Dorian Gray

Public domain

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Author: Oscar Wilde

Language: English

What if youth and beauty never had to fade? The Picture of Dorian Gray begins with a question that feels almost irresistible, gradually unfolding into something far more unsettling about identity, morality, and the cost of our desires. A novel that manages to be both captivating and quietly disturbing — often at the same time.

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Obálka díla The Scarlet Letter

Public domain

The Scarlet Letter

Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne

Language: English

Some stories are shaped less by what happened than by how long its consequences endure. The Scarlet Letter follows lives marked by guilt, secrecy, and the judgement of others, without offering easy answers. Beneath the portrait of a strict society lies a deeply human story about dignity, resilience, and the price we sometimes pay for our choices. A novel quieter than its reputation suggests, yet one that often lingers long after the final page.

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Obálka díla The Song of Roland

Public domain

The Song of Roland

Author: Anonymous

Language: English

The Song of Roland feels like a story meant to be spoken aloud, carried from one listener to the next. It brings us into a world of solemn vows, pride, and loyalty, where a person is measured by what they remain faithful to, even at great cost. More than an echo of ancient heroism, it offers a glimpse of an age that believed honour could outlive the body, and a name could enter the memory of a people.

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Obálka díla Romeo and Juliet

Public domain

Romeo and Juliet

Author: William Shakespeare

Language: English

Romeo and Juliet endures not only because of the love at its centre, but because of its fragility. Young love flares within a world too proud, divided, and unforgiving to make room for it. That is why the play still feels so immediate: it reminds us how easily something pure can meet barriers built by others. A work that holds both the beauty of first enchantment and the sorrow of knowing that love, however sincere, cannot always change the world around it.

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Obálka díla The Story of My Life

Public domain

The Story of My Life

Author: Helen Keller

Language: English

The Story of My Life carries the quiet strength of someone who had to discover the world in a different way. It is not simply a book about obstacles, but about patience, trust, and the moment when things begin to connect with words, meaning, and the nearness of others. Helen Keller does not feel like a distant symbol here, but like a sensitive and curious person whose life reminds us that learning the world can be one of the deepest forms of courage.

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Obálka díla The Trial

Public domain

The Trial

Author: Franz Kafka

Language: German

Some stories unsettle us not because of what they show, but because of how little certainty they offer. The Trial begins quietly, yet gradually turns into a world where rules remain unclear and answers seem forever out of reach. A novel both frustrating and strangely compelling — perhaps that is exactly why it lingers in the mind.

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Obálka díla The Wind in the Willows

Public domain

The Wind in the Willows

Author: Kenneth Grahame

Language: English

The Wind in the Willows carries the quiet kindness of books that seem to wait for our return. To come back to the river, the cosy burrows, the friendships, and the small adventures is to feel the world slow down for a while. It is more than a tale of animal characters; it is the feeling that somewhere there is a place where curiosity, mischief, and the need for safety are all gently welcomed. Perhaps that is why readers return to it like an echo of childhood that has never quite faded.

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Obálka díla Don Quixote

Public domain

Don Quixote

Author: Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Language: English

Don Quixote begins as a quest for glory, yet gradually becomes something far more human. It holds laughter at the mistakes of a man who reshapes the world according to his dreams, and a quiet sadness at how little room the world sometimes leaves for nobility. Beside him walks Sancho Panza, full of common sense, appetite, loyalty, and unexpected wisdom. Together, they remind us that imagination and reality do not simply oppose one another — sometimes the enduring story lives between them.

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Obálka díla The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Public domain

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Author: Lyman Frank Baum

Language: English

Sometimes the search for something important begins when the familiar world suddenly turns into something unknown. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz brings together adventure, friendship, and the quiet courage needed to keep moving forward, even without knowing what lies ahead. Beneath its colourful world and unforgettable characters lies a story that speaks surprisingly well to adult readers, too.

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Obálka díla Treasure Island

Public domain

Treasure Island

Author: Robert Louis Stevenson

Language: English

Some adventures begin with a map, but rarely end where one expects them to. Treasure Island opens a world of shifting loyalties, dangerous choices, and characters who resist simple labels. The pirates here are neither purely heroic nor purely villainous, which is exactly what makes the story still feel alive today.

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Obálka díla Uncle Tom's Cabin

Public domain

Uncle Tom's Cabin

Author: Harriet Beecher Stowe

Language: English

Uncle Tom’s Cabin is not a book to be read merely as a portrait of another time. It carries the pain of injustice, the force of compassion, and the question of how long a society can look away from human suffering. Its power lies not only in the fact that it once spoke to history, but in its reminder that literature can give voice to those whose pain might otherwise remain unheard. This is a book that does not invite distance, but human attention.

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Obálka díla Wuthering Heights

Public domain

Wuthering Heights

Author: Emily Brontë

Language: English

Not every great love story offers comfort — some are filled with defiance, longing, and emotions too tangled to settle easily. Wuthering Heights draws readers into a harsh landscape of complicated relationships, fierce attachment, and feelings that refuse simple explanations. A novel people tend to either deeply love or struggle with at first — but rarely forget.

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Obálka díla The Lost World

Public domain

The Lost World

Author: Arthur Conan Doyle

Language: English

A thrilling adventure in which Professor Challenger leads an expedition into a remote South American plateau where prehistoric creatures still survive. As the team confronts dinosaurs, hidden dangers, and rival tribes, the story blends scientific curiosity with high suspense. Doyle’s imaginative world offers both excitement and a classic exploration of discovery and survival.

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Obálka díla The Hound of The Baskervilles

Public domain

The Hound of The Baskervilles

Author: Arthur Conan Doyle

Language: English

A classic Sherlock Holmes mystery blending eerie folklore with sharp deduction. When a nobleman fears a legendary spectral hound haunting the moors, Holmes and Watson uncover a web of greed, deception, and family secrets. Atmospheric landscapes, rising tension, and a chilling sense of the supernatural make this one of Doyle’s most iconic and compelling investigations.

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Obálka díla Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Public domain

Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Author: Arthur Conan Doyle

Language: English

A classic collection of twelve Sherlock Holmes stories showcasing the detective’s sharp intellect, keen observation, and mastery of deduction. From blackmail and stolen treasures to mysterious disappearances, each case reveals a different facet of Victorian London’s secrets. The stories blend suspense, wit, and atmosphere, making this anthology a defining cornerstone of detective fiction.

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Obálka díla The Case-book of Sherlock Holmes

Public domain

The Case-book of Sherlock Holmes

Author: Arthur Conan Doyle

Language: English

A darker and more mature collection of Sherlock Holmes stories that explores the detective’s sharp intellect in cases filled with deception, obsession, and moral ambiguity. From eerie domestic mysteries to complex criminal schemes, Holmes and Watson confront some of their most challenging investigations. The volume offers a compelling blend of tension, atmosphere, and Doyle’s refined storytelling.

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Obálka díla The Sign of the Four

Public domain

The Sign of the Four

Author: Arthur Conan Doyle

Language: English

A fast‑paced Sherlock Holmes mystery that begins with a cryptic summons and unfolds into a tale of hidden treasure, betrayal, and long‑buried secrets. As Holmes and Watson follow a trail across London’s darker corners, they uncover a complex conspiracy rooted in colonial history. Suspense, deduction, and emotional undercurrents make this one of Doyle’s most engaging adventures.

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Obálka díla The Valey of Fear

Public domain

The Valey of Fear

Author: Arthur Conan Doyle

Language: English

A gripping Sherlock Holmes mystery that intertwines a brutal country‑house murder with a hidden past rooted in secret societies and betrayal. As Holmes unravels cryptic clues, the story shifts between England and America, revealing how long‑buried loyalties ignite deadly consequences. A tense, atmospheric novel blending deduction with dark intrigue.

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