1854

“Those false alarms of strife,

Between the husband and the wife,

And little quarrels, often prove

To be but new recruits of love;

And tho’ some fit of small contest

Sometime fall out among the best,

That makes no breach of faith and love,

But rather (sometimes) serves t’improve.”

Butler.


CONTENTS

[ PREFACE ]

[ HARRY COVERDALE’S COURTSHIP, AND ALL THAT CAME OF IT. ]

[ CHAPTER I.—TREATS OF THE PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE. ]

[ CHAPTER II.—AFFORDS A SPECIMEN OF HARRY’S “QUIET MANNER” WITH HIS TENANTRY. ]

[ CHAPTER III.—HAZLEHURST PLEADS HIS CAUSE AND WINS IT. ]

[ CHAPTER IV.—CONTAINS, AMONG OTHER “EXQUISITE” SKETCHES, A PORTRAIT OF A PUPPY (NOT BY LANDSEER).]

[ CHAPTER V.—PROVES THE ADVISABILITY OF LOOKING BEFORE YOU LEAP. ]

[ CHAPTER VI.—JEST AND EARNEST. ]

[ CHAPTER VII.—WHEREIN SYMPTOMS OF HARRY’S COURTSHIP BEGIN TO APPEAR ON A STORMY HORIZON. ]

[ CHAPTER VIII.—HARRY CONDESCENDS TO PLAY THE AGREEABLE. ]

[ CHAPTER IX.—CONTAINS LITTLE ELSE SAVE MOONSHINE. ]

[ CHAPTER X.—“EQUO NE CREDITE TEUCRI.”—(Virgil) ]

[ CHAPTER XI.—“POST EQUITEM SEDET ATRA CURA.”—(Horace) ]

[ CHAPTER XII.—HARRY PUTS HIS FOOT IN IT. ]

[ CHAPTER XIII.—“DEEPER AND DEEPER STILL.” ]

[ CHAPTER XIV.—DECIDEDLY EMBARRASSING. ]

[ CHAPTER XV.—RELATES THE UNEXPECTED BENEVOLENCE OF HORACE D’ALMAYNE. ]

[ CHAPTER XVI.—TREATS OF THINGS IN GENERAL. ]

[ CHAPTER XVII.—PLOTTING AND COUNTER-PLOTTING. ]

[ CHAPTER XVIII.—ALICE’S FIRST INTRODUCTION TO HER HUSBAND’S “QUIET MANNER.” ]

[ CHAPTER XIX.—A COMEDY OF ERRORS. ]

[ CHAPTER XX.—THE MORNING OF THE FIRST OF SEPTEMBER. ]

[ CHAPTER XXI.—THE EVENING OF THE SAME DAY. ]

[ CHAPTER XXII.—KATE SOWS THE WIND. ]

[ CHAPTER XXIII.—ADVICE GRATIS. ]

[ CHAPTER XXIV.—A STORM BREWING. ]

[ CHAPTER XXV.—THE STORM BURSTS. ]

[ CHAPTER XXVI.—THE ATMOSPHERE REMAINS CLOUDY. ]

[ CHAPTER XXVII.—THE PLEASURES OF KEEPING UP THE GAME. ]

[ CHAPTER XXVIII.—ALICE SUCCOURS THE DISTRESSED. ]

[ CHAPTER XXIX.—HOW TO MAKE HOME HAPPY. ]

[ CHAPTER XXX.—INTRODUCES A LORDLY GALLANT. ]

[ CHAPTER XXXI.—SPIDERS AND FLIES. ]

[ CHAPTER XXXII.—A GLIMPSE AT THE GREEN-EYED MONSTER. ]

[ CHAPTER XXXIII.—TELEMACHUS AND MENTOR. ]

[ CHAPTER XXXIV.—CIRCE. ]

[ CHAPTER XXXV.—FLOWERS AND THORNS. ]

[ CHAPTER XXXVI.—ARCADIA IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. ]

[ CHAPTER XXXVII.—A CONCESSION, AND A “PARTIE QUARRÉE.” ]

[ CHAPTER XXXVIII.—SOME OF THE JOYS OF OUR DANCING DAYS. ]

[ CHAPTER XXXIX.—ARABELLA. ]

[ CHAPTER XL.—DEEPER AND DEEPER STILL. ]

[ CHAPTER XLI.—ADVICE GRATIS. ]

[ CHAPTER XLII.—L’EMBARRAS DES RICHESSES. ]

[ CHAPTER XLIII.—EATING WHITEBAIT. ]

[ CHAPTER XLIV.—LORD ALFRED COURTLAND SOWS A FEW WILD OATS. ]

[ CHAPTER XLV.—THE OVERTURE TO DON PASQUALE. ]

[ CHAPTER XLVI.—KATE BEGINS TO REAP THE WHIRLWIND. ]

[ CHAPTER XLVII.—A GLIMPSE AT THE CLOVEN FOOT. ]

[ CHAPTER XLVIII.—MAGNANIMITY. ]

[ CHAPTER XLIX.—ALICE PERCEIVES THE ERROR OF HER WAYS. ]

[ CHAPTER L.—THE LETTER. ]

[ CHAPTER LI.—OTHELLO VISITS CASSIO. ]

[ CHAPTER LII.—A GLEAM OF LIGHT. ]

[ CHAPTER LIII.—AFTER THE MANNER OF “BELL’S LIFE.” ]

[ CHAPTER LIV.—SETTLING PRELIMINARIES. ]

[ CHAPTER LV.—THE RACE. ]

[ CHAPTER LVI.—THE CATASTROPHE. ]

[ CHAPTER LVII.—AN ANONYMOUS LETTER. ]

[ CHAPTER LVIII.—DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND. ]

[ CHAPTER LIX.—HORACE WEATHERS THE STORM. ]

[ CHAPTER LX.—ANXIETY. ]

[ CHAPTER LXI.—ALICE APPOINTS HER SUCCESSOR. ]

[ CHAPTER LXII.—MRS. COVERDALE THINKS BETTER OF IT. ]

[ CHAPTER LXIII.—LORD ALFRED SEVERS HIS LEADING STRINGS. ]

[ CHAPTER LXIV.—D’ALMAYNE PLAYS HIS LAST CARD. ]

[ CHAPTER LXV.—SETTLES EVERYBODY AND EVERYTHING. ]