TO
MR. ELLERY SEDGWICK
Contents
| CHAPTER | PAGE | |
| I. | The Sport of Chance | [1] |
| II | A Cry in the Night | [19] |
| III | Deoch Slaint an Righ! | [39] |
| IV | Of Love and War | [60] |
| V | The Hue and Cry | [79] |
| VI | In The Matter of a Kiss | [99] |
| VII | My Lady Rages | [116] |
| VIII | Charles Edward Stuart | [133] |
| IX | Blue Bonnets are Over the Border | [151] |
| X | Culloden | [159] |
| XI | The Red Heather Hills | [180] |
| XII | Volney Pays a Debt | [202] |
| XIII | The Little God has an Innings | [223] |
| XIV | The Aftermath | [231] |
| XV | A Reprieve! | [251] |
| XVI | Volney’s Guest | [266] |
| XVII | The Valley of the Shadow | [278] |
| XVIII | The Shadow Falls | [297] |
| The Afterword | [309] |
|
The Ladies of St. James’s The ladies of St. James’s Go swinging to the play; Their footmen run before them With a “Stand by! Clear the way!” But Phyllida, my Phyllida! She takes her buckled shoon. When we go out a-courting Beneath the harvest moon. The ladies of St. James’s! They are so fine and fair, You’d think a box of essences Was broken in the air: But Phyllida, my Phyllida! The breath of heath and furze When breezes blow at morning, Is not so fresh as hers. The ladies of St. James’s! They’re painted to the eyes; Their white it stays forever, Their red it never dies: But Phyllida, my Phyllida! Her colour comes and goes; It trembles to a lily,— It wavers like a rose. The ladies of St. James’s! You scarce can understand The half of all their speeches, Their phrases are so grand: But Phyllida, my Phyllida! Her shy and simple words Are clear as after raindrops The music of the birds. The ladies of St. James’s! They have their fits and freaks; They smile on you—for seconds; They frown on you—for weeks: But Phyllida, my Phyllida! Come either storm or shine, From shrovetide unto shrovetide Is always true—and mine. Austin Dobson. |
FOREWORD
When this romance touches history the author believes that it is, in every respect, with one possible exception, in accord with the accepted facts. In detailing the history of “the ‘45’” and the sufferings of the misguided gentlemen who flung away the scabbard out of loyalty to a worthless cause, care has been taken to make the story agree with history. The writer does not of course indorse the view of Prince Charles’ character herein set forth by Kenneth Montagu, but there is abundant evidence to show that the Young Chevalier had in a very large degree those qualities which were lacking to none of the Stuarts: a charming personality and a gallant bearing. If his later life did not fulfil the promise of his youth, the unhappy circumstances which hampered him should be kept in mind as an extenuation.