The Hand of Ethelberta: A Comedy in Chapters Read online

  This eBook was produced from the 1907 Macmillan and Co. edition by LesBowler, St. Ives, Dorset.

  THE HAND OF ETHELBERTA--A COMEDY IN CHAPTERSby Thomas Hardy.

  "Vitae post-scenia celant."--Lucretius.

  PREFACE

  This somewhat frivolous narrative was produced as an interlude betweenstories of a more sober design, and it was given the sub-title of acomedy to indicate--though not quite accurately--the aim of theperformance. A high degree of probability was not attempted in thearrangement of the incidents, and there was expected of the reader acertain lightness of mood, which should inform him with a good-naturedwillingness to accept the production in the spirit in which it wasoffered. The characters themselves, however, were meant to be consistentand human.

  On its first appearance the novel suffered, perhaps deservedly, for whatwas involved in these intentions--for its quality of unexpectedness inparticular--that unforgivable sin in the critic's sight--the immediateprecursor of 'Ethelberta' having been a purely rural tale. Moreover, inits choice of medium, and line of perspective, it undertook a delicatetask: to excite interest in a drama--if such a dignified word may be usedin the connection--wherein servants were as important as, or moreimportant than, their masters; wherein the drawing-room was sketched inmany cases from the point of view of the servants' hall. Such a reversalof the social foreground has, perhaps, since grown more welcome, andreaders even of the finer crusted kind may now be disposed to pardon awriter for presenting the sons and daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Chickerel asbeings who come within the scope of a congenial regard.

  T. H.

  December 1895.

  CONTENTS

  1. A STREET IN ANGLEBURY--A HEATH NEAR IT--INSIDE THE 'RED LION' INN 2. CHRISTOPHER'S HOUSE--SANDBOURNE TOWN--SANDBOURNE MOOR 3. SANDBOURNE MOOR (continued) 4. SANDBOURNE PIER--ROAD TO WYNDWAY--BALLROOM IN WYNDWAY HOUSE 5. AT THE WINDOW--THE ROAD HOME 6. THE SHORE BY WYNDWAY 7. THE DINING-ROOM OF A TOWN HOUSE--THE BUTLER'S PANTRY 8. CHRISTOPHER'S LODGINGS--THE GROUNDS ABOUT ROOKINGTON 9. A LADY'S DRAWING-ROOMS--ETHELBERTA'S DRESSING-ROOM10. LADY PETHERWIN'S HOUSE11. SANDBOURNE AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD--SOME LONDON STREETS12. ARROWTHORNE PARK AND LODGE13. THE LODGE (continued)--THE COPSE BEHIND14. A TURNPIKE ROAD15. AN INNER ROOM AT THE LODGE16. A LARGE PUBLIC HALL17. ETHELBERTA'S HOUSE18. NEAR SANDBOURNE--LONDON STREETS--ETHELBERTA'S19. ETHELBERTA'S DRAWING-ROOM20. THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF THE HALL--THE ROAD HOME21. A STREET--NEIGH'S ROOMS--CHRISTOPHER'S ROOMS22. ETHELBERTA'S HOUSE23. ETHELBERTA'S HOUSE (continued)24. ETHELBERTA'S HOUSE (continued)--THE BRITISH MUSEUM25. THE ROYAL ACADEMY--THE FARNFIELD ESTATE26. ETHELBERTA'S DRAWING-ROOM27. MRS. BELMAINE'S--CRIPPLEGATE CHURCH28. ETHELBERTA'S--MR. CHICKEREL'S ROOM29. ETHELBERTA'S DRESSING-ROOM--MR. DONCASTLE'S HOUSE30. ON THE HOUSETOP31. KNOLLSEA--A LOFTY DOWN--A RUINED CASTLE32. A ROOM IN ENCKWORTH COURT33. THE ENGLISH CHANNEL--NORMANDY34. THE HOTEL BEAU SEJOUR, AND SPOTS NEAR IT35. THE HOTEL (continued), AND THE QUAY IN FRONT36. THE HOUSE IN TOWN37. KNOLLSEA--AN ORNAMENTAL VILLA38. ENCKWORTH COURT39. KNOLLSEA--MELCHESTER40. MELCHESTER (continued)41. WORKSHOPS--AN INN--THE STREET42. THE DONCASTLES' RESIDENCE, AND OUTSIDE THE SAME43. THE RAILWAY--THE SEA--THE SHORE BEYOND44. SANDBOURNE--A LONELY HEATH--THE 'RED LION'--THE HIGHWAY45. KNOLLSEA--THE ROAD THENCE--ENCKWORTH46. ENCKWORTH (continued)--THE ANGLEBURY HIGHWAY47. ENCKWORTH AND ITS PRECINCTS--MELCHESTERSEQUEL. ANGLEBURY--ENCKWORTH--SANDBOURNE