AUTHOR OF "THE QUEEN'S QUAIR," "NEW CANTERBURYTALES," "RICHARD YEA-AND-NAY," "LITTLENOVELS OF ITALY," ETC., ETC.
Published July, 1905.
To
J. M. BARRIE
AFFECTIONATELY
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
I. MY EXORDIUM: A JUSTIFICATORY PIECEII. AURELIA AND THE DOCTORIII. MY DANGEROUS PROGRESSIV. FATAL AVOWALV. DISASTERVI. I COMMENCE PILGRIMVII. I AM MISCONCEIVED AT THE HOSPITALVIII. THE PEDLAR OF CRUCIFIXESIX. I AM HUMILIATED, LIFTED UP, AND LEFT CURIOUSX. I FALL IN AGAIN WITH FRA PALAMONEXI. I EXERCISE COMMON SENSE, IMAGINATION AND CHARITYXII. I SEEK—AND FINDXIII. HAVING EMPTIED MY POCKET, I OFFER MY HAND, BUT RESERVE MY HEARTXIV. MY HAPPY DAYS; THEIR UNHAPPY ENDXV. I AM IN BONDAGEXVI. VIRGINIA AND I FALL OUT, BUT ARE RECONCILEDXVII. ERCOLE AT THE FAIRXVIII. FRA PALAMONE BREAKS THE LAW, AND I MY CHAINXIX. I AM AGAIN MISCONCEIVEDXX. SURPRISING CHANGE IN MY FORTUNESXXI. MY DIVERSIONS: COUNT GIRALDIXXII. I WORK FOR AURELIA, AND HEAR OF HERXXIII. AURELIA FORGIVESXXIV. VIRGINIA VEXESXXV. I PREPARE FOR BLISSXXVI. I DISAPPOINT MY FRIENDSXXVII. I SLAY A MANXXVIII. VIRGINIA ON HER METTLEXXIX. I TAKE SANCTUARYXXX. I MARRY AND GO TO LUCCAXXXI. MY ADVENTURES AT THE INNXXXII. WE LIVE HAPPILY IN LUCCAXXXIII. TREACHERY WORKS AGAINST USXXXIV. I FALL IN WITH THE PLAYERSXXXV. TEMPTED IN SIENA, BELVISO SAVES MEXXXVI. MY UNREHEARSED EFFECT AND ITS MIDNIGHT SEQUELXXXVII. I COMMIT A DOUBLE MURDERXXXVIII. AN UNEXPECTED MESSENGER LIFTS ME UPXXXIX. VIRGINIA DECLINES THE HEIGHTSXL. I GET RID OF MY ENEMY AND PART FROM MY FRIENDXLI. I RETURN TO FLORENCE AND THE WORLD OF FASHIONXLII. I STAND AT A CROSS-ROADXLIII. AGITATIONS AT THE VILLA SAN GIORGIOXLIV. I CONFRONT MY ENEMIESXLV. THE MEETINGXLVI. THE DISCOVERYXLVII. THE FINAL PROOFXLVIII. THE LAST
INTRODUCTION
The top-heavy, four-horsed, yellow old coach from Vicenza, which arrivedat Padua every night of the year, brought with it in particular on thenight of October 13, 1721, a tall, personable young man, an Englishman,in a dark blue cloak, who swang briskly down from the coupe and asked instilted Italian for "La sapienza del Signer Dottor' Lanfranchi." Fromout of a cloud of steam—for the weather was wet and the speakerviolently hot—a husky voice replied, "Eccomi—eccomi, a servirla." Theyoung man took off his hat and bowed.
"Have I the honour to salute so much learning?" he asked courteously. "Let me present myself to my preceptor as Mr. Francis Strelley of Upcote."
"His servant," said the voice from the cloud, "and servant of hisillustrious father. Don Francis, be accommodated; let your mind be atease. Your baggage? These fellows are here for it. Your valise? I carryit. Your hand? I take it. Follow me."
These words were accompanied by action of the most swift and singularkind. Mr. Strelley saw two porters scramble after his portmanteaux, hadhis valise reft from his hand, and that hand firmly grasped before hecould frame his reply. The v