



Produced by Marc D'Hooghe at http://www.freeliterature.org




THE THREE IMPOSTORS

or The Transmutations

by

ARTHUR MACHEN



TRANSLATOR OF 'L'HEPTAMERON' AND 'LE MOYEN DE PARVENIR';

AUTHOR OF 'THE CHRONICLE OF CLEMENDY' AND 'THE GREAT GOD PAN'



BOSTON: Roberts Bros, 1895

LONDON: John Lane, Vigo st.




CONTENTS

    PROLOGUE
    ADVENTURE OF THE GOLD TIBERIUS
    THE ENCOUNTER OF THE PAVEMENT
       NOVEL OF THE DARK VALLEY
    ADVENTURE OF THE MISSING BROTHER
       NOVEL OF THE BLACK SEAL
    INCIDENT OF THE PRIVATE BAR
    THE DECORATIVE IMAGINATION
       NOVEL OF THE IRON MAID
    THE RECLUSE OF BAYSWATER
       NOVEL OF THE WHITE POWDER
    STRANGE OCCURRENCE IN CLERKENWELL
       HISTORY OF THE YOUNG MAN WITH SPECTACLES
    ADVENTURE OF THE DESERTED RESIDENCE




THE THREE IMPOSTORS.




PROLOGUE.


"And Mr. Joseph Walters is going to stay the night?" said the smooth
clean-shaven man to his companion, an individual not of the most
charming appearance, who had chosen to make his ginger- mustache
merge into a pair of short chin-whiskers.

The two stood at the hall door, grinning evilly at each other; and
presently a girl ran quickly down, the stairs, and joined them. She was
quite young, with a quaint and piquant rather than a beautiful face, and
her eyes were of a shining hazel. She held a neat paper parcel in one
hand, and laughed with her friends.

"Leave the