“Thus fare you well right hertely beloved

frende ... and love me as you have ever

done, for I love you better than ever I dyd.”

CONTENTS

PAGE
I.[THE HILL OF SOLITUDE]1
II.[OF WORSHIP]6
III.[WEST AND EAST]13
IV.[A CLEVER MONGOOSE]21
V.[A BLUE DAY]33
VI.[OF LOVE, IN FICTION]42
VII.[THE JINGLING COIN]48
VIII.[A STRANGE SUNSET]61
IX.[OF LETTER-WRITING]68
X.[AT A FUNERAL]72
XI.[OF CHANGE AND DECAY]82
XII.[DAUGHTERS AND DESPOTISM]96
XIII.[HER FIANCÉ]107
XIV.[BY THE SEA]115
XV.[AN ILLUMINATION]123
XVI.[OF DEATH, IN FICTION]129
XVII.[A HAND AT ÉCARTÉ]138
XVIII.[THE GENTLE ART OF VEERING WITH THE WIND]145
XIX.[A REJOINDER]153
XX.[OF IMPORTUNITY]159
XXI.[OF COINCIDENCES]168
XXII.[OF A COUNTRY-HOUSE CUSTOM]175
XXIII.[A MERE LIE]182
XXIV.[TIGERS AND CROCODILES]191
XXV.[A ROSE AND A MOTH]203
XXVI.[A LOVE-PHILTRE]209
XXVII.[MOONSTRUCK]220
XXVIII.[THE “DEVI”]229
XXIX.[THE DEATH-CHAIN]242
XXX.[SCANDAL AND BANGLES]252
XXXI.[THE REPREHENSIBLE HABIT OF MAKING COMPARISONS]259
XXXII.[A CHALLENGE]265
XXXIII.[IN EXILE]270
XXXIV.[OF LOVE—NOT IN FICTION]284
XXXV.[OF OBSESSION]295
XXXVI.[OF PARADISE LOST]303
XXXVII.[“TO MARY, IN HEAVEN”]307