THE WOMAN IN BLACK
BY EDMUND CLERIHEW BENTLEY
Copyright, 1913, by
The Century Co.
NEW YORK
Published, March, 1913
"... So shall you hear
Of accidental judgments, casual slaughters,
Of deaths put on by cunning, and forc'd cause,
And, in this upshot, purposes mistook
Fall'n on the inventors' heads ..."
—Hamlet.
TO GILBERT KEITH CHESTERTON
My dear Gilbert:
I dedicate this story to you. First: because the only really noble motive I had in writing it was the hope that you would enjoy it. Second: because I owe you a book in return for "The Man Who Was Thursday." Third: because I said I would when I unfolded the plan of it to you, surrounded by Frenchmen, two years ago. Fourth: because I remember the past.
I have been thinking again to-day of those astonishing times when neither of us ever looked at a newspaper; when we were purely happy in the boundless consumption of paper, pencils, tea and our elders' patience; when we embraced the most severe literature, and ourselves produced such light reading as was necessary; when (in the words of Canada's poet) we studied the works of nature, also those little frogs; when, in short, we were extremely young.
For the sake of that age I offer you this book.
Yours always,
E. C. Bentley.