THIRTEEN AT THE DINNER TABLE

Long ago, I wrote in a diary a list of twelve fictional characters from literature that I gladly would invite to a party at my place. I don't care if thirteen people at the dinner table bring bad luck.
OK, ladies and gents! Here's the list.
1. Pauline, the Arctic explorer from Jules Verne's novel In the Fur Country. In those days when ladies were expected to be quiet and demure, she broke moulds just like Winifred Banks, Mary Kingsley, and many others.

2. The Mad Hatter. Say no more! He is really entertaining, wisecracking and dashing, by the way.

3. The Clever Princess (in Andersen's "The Snow Queen IV"), who reads all newspapers in the world: she's royalty and she cleans up nicely, aside from knowing so many things.

4. Her equally young, clever, eloquent, and good-looking spouse. They were made for each other. I don't care if they are supporting characters in "The Snow Queen" (in fact, most of the guests are supporting characters).

5. Lord Henry Wotton, from Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. A Victorian courtier who enjoys the good things in life and dresses sharply.

6. Count Jean de Satigny, by Isabel Allende. A gentleman of wealth and taste, like Lord Wotton, but French. Though he may be slightly self-centered, he shows interest in the fine arts.

7. Pippi Långstrump, as long as she stays sober. A pirate captain's daughter, well travelled, strong as Hercules and clever as Ulysses. Just don't give her either caffeine or ethanol to drink, or else, all hell will break loose!

8. Captain Nemo. In my opinion, he needs a little bit of social life.

9. (Major) Charles Eastwood (from D.H. Lawrence's The Virgin and the Gypsy). A dashing young officer, my type (tall, blond, and blue-eyed...). Yet a veteran of the Great War and a born survivor (he has left the Royal Army recently). Lives in a cottage in the Southern hinterland of the UK with his Jewish wife and their children. And he does the housework!

10. Luna Lovegood, from the Harry Potter books. A Ravenclaw student of my age and mindset. She would sit on my right side and next to the Baron, so that the three of us could enjoy a yarn-spinning competition.

11. Hieronymus von Münchhausen, Prussian baron and military officer, well-known for spinning yarns. After having read his first adventures, I could hardly doubt anything written in a classic tale.

12. Elizabeth Bennet (the heroine of Pride and Prejudice). Solo, without her husband. The only sane one at the dinner table, I presume.