The Guilty River

by Wilkie Collins

THE GUILTY RIVER

by

Wilkie Collins

CONTENTS

Chapter I [On the Way to the River]
Chapter II [The River Introduces Us]
Chapter III [He Shows Himself]
Chapter IV [He Explains Himself]
Chapter V [He Betrays Himself]
Chapter VI [The Return of the Portfolio]
Chapter VII [The Best Society]
Chapter VIII [The Deaf Lodger]
Chapter IX [Mrs. Roylake's Game: First Move]
Chapter X [Warned!]
Chapter XI [Warned Again!]
Chapter XII [Warned for the Last Time!]
Chapter XIII [The Claret Jug]
Chapter XIV [Gloody Settles the Account]
Chapter XV [The Miller's Hospitality]
Chapter XVI [Bribery and Corruption]
Chapter XVII [Utter Failure]
Chapter XVIII [The Mistress of Trimley Deen]

CHAPTER I

ON THE WAY TO THE RIVER

FOR reasons of my own, I excused myself from accompanying my stepmother to a dinner-party given in our neighborhood. In my present humor, I preferred being alone—and, as a means of getting through my idle time, I was quite content to be occupied in catching insects.

Provided with a brush and a mixture of rum and treacle, I went into Fordwitch Wood to set the snare, familiar to hunters of moths, which we call sugaring the trees.