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Transcriber's Note: Minor typographical errors have been corrected
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been retained.




THE HISTORY
OF
SIR RICHARD CALMADY

A Romance



By

Lucas Malet




NEW YORK
Dodd, Mead & Company
1901

_Copyright_, 1901
BY DODD, MEAD & COMPANY

THE CAXTON PRESS
NEW YORK.




CONTENTS


BOOK I

THE CLOWN

CHAP.                                                        PAGE

  I. Acquainting the Reader with a Fair Domain
       and the Maker Thereof                                    1

  II. Giving the Very Earliest Information
        Obtainable of the Hero of this Book                     7

 III. Touching Matters Clerical and Controversial              19

  IV. Raising Problems which it is the Purpose
        of this History to Resolve                             25

   V. In which Julius March Beholds the Vision
        of the New Life                                        34

  VI. Accident or Destiny, According to Your Humour            44

 VII. Mrs. William Ormiston Sacrifices a Wine-glass
        to Fate                                                57

VIII. Enter a Child of Promise                                 69

  IX. In which Katherine Calmady Looks on Her Son              76

   X. The Birds of the Air Take Their Breakfast                84


BOOK II

THE BREAKING OF DREAMS

   I. Recording some Aspects of a Small Pilgrim's Progress     93

  II. In which Our Hero Improves His Acquaintance
        with Many Things--Himself Included                    104

 III. Concerning that which, Thank God, Happens
        Almost Every Day                                      117

  IV. Which Smells very Vilely of the Stable                  128

   V. In which Dickie is Introduced to a Little Dancer
        with Blush-roses in Her Hat                           140

  VI. Dealing with a Physician of the Body and a
        Physician of the Soul                                 149

 VII. An Attempt to Make the Best of It                       159

VIII. Telling, Incidentally, of a Broken-down Postboy
        and a Country Fair                                    169


BOOK III

LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCI

   I. In which Our Hero's World Grows Sensibly Wider          181

  II. Telling How Dickie's Soul was Somewhat Sick, and
        How He Met Fair Women on the Confines of a Wood       186

 III. In which Richard Confirms One Judgment and
        Reverses Another                                      195

  IV. Julius March Bears Testimony                            203

   V. Telling How Queen Mary's Crystal Ball Came to Fall
        on the Gallery Floor                                  215

  VI. In which Dickie Tries to Ride Away from His Own
        Shadow, with Such Success as Might Have Been
        Anticipated                                           231

 VII. Wherein the Reader is Courteously Invited to
        Improve His Acquaintance with Certain Persons
        of Quality                                            240

VIII. Richard Puts His Hand to a Plough from which There
        is no Turning Back                                    252

  IX. Which Touches Incidentally on Matters of Finance        264

   X. Mr. Ludovic Quayle Among the Prophets                   280

  XI. Containing Samples Both of Earthly and Heavenly Love    289


BOOK IV

A SLIP BETWIXT CUP AND LIP

   I. Lady Louisa Barking Traces the Finger of Providence     302

  II. Telling How Vanity Fair Made Acquaintance with
        Richard Calmady                                       314

 III. In which Katherine Tries to Nail Up the Weather-glass
        to Set Fair                                           324

  IV. A Lesson Upon the Eleventh Commandment--"Parents
        Obey Your Children"                                   337

   V. Iphigenia                                               350

  VI. In which Honoria St. Quentin Takes the Field            362

 VII. Recording the Astonishing Valour Displayed by a
        Certain Small Mouse in a Corner                       375

VIII. A Manifestation of the Spirit                           386

  IX. In which Dickie Shakes Hands with the Devil             397


BOOK V

RAKE'S PROGRESS

   I. In which the Reader is Courteously Entreated to
        Grow Older by the Space of Some Four Years, and
        to Sail Southward Ho! Away                            417

  II. Wherein Time is Discovered to Have Worked Changes       429

 III. Helen de Vallorbes Apprehends Vexatious Complications   438

  IV. "Mater Admirabilis"                                     447

   V. Exit Camp                                               455

  VI. In which M. Paul Destournelle Has the Bad Taste to
        Threaten to Upset the Apple-cart                      469

 VII. Splend