The Indiscretion of the Duchess

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The Indiscretion of the Duchess (1894)
by Anthony Hope
New York: H. Holt and company, 1894.

The Nation, 31 January 1895: 'The Indiscretion of the Duchess' returns to the vein of 'The Prisoner of Zenda,' but in no way repeats that story. Mr. Hope's devices in plot-making are distinctly his own. The most surprising inventions flow from his brain in novel combinations. Nineteenth-century adventures though they are, they are told with an old time air of romance that gives them the fascination of an earlier day; an air of good faith, almost of religious chivalry, gives reality to their extravagance. They come near to being pious. Moreover, what is lacking in many excellently told stories is the very sauce of the feast here, namely, a cleverness in epigram which marks Mr. Hope as a wit if he were not a romancer. Many thrilling tales have been written without containing such shrewd observations as these: "Discretion has two meanings—whereof the one is 'Do it not,' and the other 'Tell it not.'" "We do not always wish and hope for the same thing."

3057886The Indiscretion of the Duchess1894Anthony Hope

The Indiscretion

of the Duchess

I plucked him off the duke and flung him on his back on the sands.”—P. 196.

THE INDISCRETION

OF THE DUCHESS


Being a Story Concerning Two Ladies,
a Nobleman, and a Necklace

BY
ANTHONY HOPE
AUTHOR OF "THE PRISONER OF ZENDA" ETC.

henry Holt logo

NEW YORK
HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY
1894

Copyright, 1894,
BY
HENRY HOLT & CO.

THE MERSHON COMPANY PRESS,
RAHWAY, N. J.

Contents

  1. chapterpage
  2. I. A Multitude of Good Reasons, 1
  3. II. The Significance of a Supper-Table, 11
  4. III. The Unexpected that Always Happened, 19
  5. IV. The Duchess Defines Her Position, 29
  6. V. A Strategic Retreat, 39
  7. VI. A Hint of Something Serious, 51
  8. VII. Heard through the Door, 62
  9. VIII. I Find that I Care, 72
  10. IX. An Unparalleled Insult, 83
  11. X. Left on My Hands, 92
  12. XI. A Very Clever Scheme, 101
  13. XII. As a Man Possessed, 110
  14. XIII. A Timely Truce, 120
  15. XIV. For an Empty Box, 130
  16. XV. I Choose My Way, 140
  17. XVI. The Inn near Pontorson, 150
  18. XVII. A Reluctant Intrusion, 163
  19. XVIII. A Strange Good Humor, 173
  20. XIX. Unsummoned Witnesses, 183
  21. XX. The Duke's Epitaph, 193
  22. XXI. A Passing Carriage, 203
  23. XXII. From Shadow to Sunshine, 214
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This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.


The longest-living author of this work died in 1933, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 90 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

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