Copyright, 1900, by Rand, McNally & Co.
Copyright, 1906, by Rand, McNally & Co.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
[PREFACE.]
[CHAPTER I. 'Enter Mrs Pansey As Chorus']
[CHAPTER II. The Bishop Is Wanted]
[CHAPTER III. The Unforeseen Happens]
[CHAPTER IV. The Curiosity Of Mr Cargrim]
[CHAPTER V. The Derby Winner]
[CHAPTER VI. The Man With The Scar]
[CHAPTER VII. An Interesting Conversation]
[CHAPTER VIII. On Saturday Night]
[CHAPTER IX. An Exciting Adventure]
[CHAPTER X. Morning Service In The Minster]
[CHAPTER XI. Miss Whichello's Luncheon-party]
[CHAPTER XII. Bell Mosk Pays A Visit]
[CHAPTER XIII. A Stormy Night]
[CHAPTER XIV. 'Rumour Full Of Tongues']
[CHAPTER XV. The Gipsy Ring]
[CHAPTER XVI. The Zeal Of Inspector Tinkler]
[CHAPTER XVII. A Clerical Detective]
[CHAPTER XVIII. The Chaplain On The Warpath]
[CHAPTER XIX. The Bishop's Request]
[CHAPTER XX. Mother Jael]
[CHAPTER XXI. Mrs Pansey's Festival]
[CHAPTER XXII. Mr Mosk Is Indiscreet]
[CHAPTER XXIII. In The Library]
[CHAPTER XXIV. The Bishop Asserts Himself]
[CHAPTER XXV. Mr Baltic, Missionary]
[CHAPTER XXVI. The Amazement Of Sir Harry Brace]
[CHAPTER XXVII. What Mother Jael Knew]
[CHAPTER XXVIII. The Return Of Gabriel]
[CHAPTER XXIX. The Confession Of Bishop Pendle]
[CHAPTER XXX. Blackmail]
[CHAPTER XXXI. Mr Baltic On The Trail]
[CHAPTER XXXII. The Initials]
[CHAPTER XXXIII. Mr Baltic Explains Himself]
[CHAPTER XXXIV. The Wages Of Sin]
[CHAPTER XXXV. The Honour Of Gabriel]
[CHAPTER XXXVI. The Rebellion Of Mrs Pendle]
[CHAPTER XXXVII. Dea Ex Machinâ]
[CHAPTER XXXVIII. Exit Mr Cargrim]
[CHAPTER XXXIX. All's Well That Ends Well]
PREFACE.
In his earlier works, notably in "The Mystery of a Hansom Cab" and "The Silent House in Pimlico," Mr. Hume won a reputation second to none for plot of the stirring, ingenious, misleading, and finally surprising kind, and for working out his plot in vigorous and picturesque English.
In "The Bishop's Secret," while there is no falling off in plot and style, there is a welcome and marvelous broadening out as to the cast of characters, representing an unusually wide range of typical men and women. These are not laboriously described by the author, but are made to reveal themselves in action and speech in a way that has, for the reader, all the charm of personal intercourse with living people.
Mr. Hume's treatment of the peculiar and exclusive ecclesiastical society of a small English cathedral city is quite worthy of Anthony Trollope, and his leading character, Bishop Pendle, is equal to Trollope's best bishop. The Reverend Mr. Cargrim, the Bishop's poor and most unworthy protegè, is a meaner Uriah Heep. Mrs. Pansey is the embodiment of all shrewishness, and yields unlimited amusement. The Gypsies are genuine—such as George Borrow, himself, would have pictured them—not the ignorant caricatures so frequently drawn by writers too lazy to study their subject.