Almost the last act of his in our partnership was the arrangement, with certain country papers and elsewhere, for the serial publication of this novel, the subject and writing of which were necessarily left entirely to myself.
The many wanderings, therefore, which I undertook last summer in Stepney, Whitechapel, Poplar, St. George's in the East, Limehouse, Bow, Stratford, Shadwell, and all that great and marvellous unknown country which we call East London, were undertaken, for the first time for ten years, alone. They would have been undertaken in great sadness had one foreseen the end. In one of these wanderings I had the happiness to discover Rotherhithe, which I afterward explored with carefulness; in another, I lit upon a certain Haven of Rest for aged sea-captains, among whom I found Captain Sorensen; in others I found many wonderful things, and conversed with many wonderful people. The "single-handedness," so to speak, of this book would have been a mere episode in the history of the firm, a matter of no concern or interest to the general public, had my friend recovered. But he is dead; and it therefore devolves upon me to assume the sole responsibility of the work, for good or bad. The same responsibility is, of course, assumed for the two short stories, "The Captain's Room," published at Christmas last, and "They Were Married," published as the summer number of the Illustrated London News. The last story was, in fact, written after the death of my partner; but as it had already been announced, it was thought best, under the circumstances, to make no change in the title.
I have been told by certain friendly advisers that this story is impossible. I have, therefore, stated the fact on the title-page, so that no one may complain of being taken in or deceived. But I have never been able to understand why it is impossible.
Walter Besant.
United Universities' Club, August 19, 1882.
CONTENTS.
| CHAPTER | PAGE | |
| Prologue—in Two Parts, | [9] | |
| I. | —News for His Lordship, | [26] |
| II. | —A Very Complete Case, | [40] |
| III. | —Only a Dressmaker, | [46] |
| IV. | —Uncle Bunker, | [56] |
| V. | —The Cares of Wealth, | [67] |
| VI. | —A First Step, | [76] |
| VII. | —The Trinity Almshouse, | [88] |
| VIII. | —What He Got by It, | [99] |
| IX. | —The Day Before the First, | [108] |
| X. | —The Great Davenant Case, | [116] |
| XI. | —The First Day, | [124] |
| XII. | —Sunday at the East End, | [133] |
| XIII. | —Angela's Experiment, | [142] |
| XIV. | —The Tender Passion, | [153] |
| XV. | —A Splendid Offer, | [161] |
| XVI. | —Harry's Decision, | [169] |
| XVII. | —What Lord Jocelyn Thought, | [176] |
| XVIII. | —The Palace of Delight, | [182] |
| XIX. | —Dick the Radical, | [191] |
| XX. | —Down on Their Luck, | [197] |
| XXI. | —Lady Davenant, | [205] |
| XXII. | —Daniel Fagg, | [214] |
| XXIII. | —The Missing Link, | [223] |
| XXIV. | —Lord Jocelyn's Troubles, | [229] |
| XXV. | —An Invitation, | [238] |
| XXVI. | —Lord Davenant's Greatness, | [247] |
| XXVII. | —The Same Signs, | [257] |
| XXVIII. | —Harry Finds Liberty, | [260] |
| XXIX. | —The Figure-heads, | [276] |
| XXX. | —The Professor's Proposal, | [285] |
| XXXI. | —Captain Coppin, | [292] |
| XXXII. | —Bunker at Bay, | [303] |
| XXXIII. | —Mr. Bunker's Letter, | [310] |
| XXXIV. | —Proofs in Print, | [316] |
| XXXV. | —Then we'll Keep Company, | [323] |
| XXXVI. | —What will be the End?, | [333] |
| XXXVII. | —Truth with Faithfulness, | [338] |
| XXXVIII. | —I am the Dressmaker, | [347] |
| XXXIX. | —Thrice Happy Boy, | [356] |
| XL. | —Sweet Nelly, | [363] |
| XLI. | —Boxing-Night, | [371] |
| XLII. | —Not Josephus, but Another, | [378] |
| XLIII. | —O my Prophetic Soul!, | [387] |
| XLIV. | —A Fool and his Money, | [397] |
| XLV. | —Lady Davenant's Dinner-party, | [402] |
| XLVI. | —The End of the Case, | [413] |
| XLVII. | —A Palace of Delight, | [418] |
| XLVIII. | —My Lady Sweet, | [425] |
| XLIX. | —"Uprouse ye then, my Merry, Merry Men," | [432] |