Two versions of Henry James's novel The Real Thing.

[infiniteone]

I found two versions of Henry James's novel, The Real Thing.

One starts with 'When the porter's wife who used to answer the house-bell , announced "A gentleman and a lady, sir"...'

The other starts with ' When the porter’s wife (she used to answer the house-bell), announced ”A gentleman–with a lady, sir,” ...'

What is the orginal version?

If the one of the two was rewritten, who is the rewriter?, Henry James himself ?

Google coudn't help me to find the answer.

Is there anyone who know the answer?

[Anglika]

This is a novella rather than a novel, and was published in two editions, one in 1893, the second in 1909. It is probable that James himself changed the text. Try contacting one of the Henry James societies with your question.

henry james socity - Google Search

[Tdol]

He did revise his own works:

He heavily revised his major novels and many of his stories for a selected edition of his fiction, whose twenty-three volumes formed an artistic autobiography which he called "The New York Edition" to emphasize his continuing ties to the city of his birth.

(Henry James - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

[M-Qasim]

Thank You