LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS


THE ANSWER WAS A BLINDING FLASH OF LIGHT AND A SHOT.
'TOMMY, WHO IS--THIS--FELLOW?' HE CRIED.
'YOUR LADYSHIP'S MOST HUMBLE SERVANT,' HE SAID.
HE WOULD FALL SILENT IN JULIA'S COMPANY.
'AND DRINK HER, YOU ENVIOUS BEGGARS! DRINK HER!'
ON THE THRESHOLD, ... STOOD MR. DUNBOROUGH.




THE CASTLE INN


CHAPTER I

A KNIGHT-ERRANT


About a hundred and thirty years ago, when the third George, whom our
grandfathers knew in his blind dotage, was a young and sturdy
bridegroom; when old Q., whom 1810 found peering from his balcony in
Piccadilly, deaf, toothless, and a skeleton, was that gay and lively
spark, the Earl of March; when _bore_ and _boreish_ were words of _haut
ton_, unknown to the vulgar, and the price of a borough was 5,000_l_.;