The Old Adam: A Story of Adventure

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Arnold Bennett. The Old Adam: A Story of Adventure

PART I

CHAPTER I. DOG-BITE

CHAPTER II. THE BANK-NOTE

CHAPTER III. WILKINS'S

CHAPTER IV. ENTRY INTO THE THEATRICAL WORLD

CHAPTER V. MR. SACHS TALKS

CHAPTER VI. LORD WOLDO AND LADY WOLDO

PART II

CHAPTER VII. CORNER-STONE

CHAPTER VIII. DEALING WITH ELSIE

CHAPTER IX. THE FIRST NIGHT

CHAPTER X. ISABEL

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"And yet," Edward Henry Machin reflected as at six minutes to six he approached his own dwelling at the top of Bleakridge, "and yet-I don't feel so jolly after all!"

The first two words of this disturbing meditation had reference to the fact that, by telephoning twice to his stockbrokers at Manchester, he had just made the sum of three hundred and forty-one pounds in a purely speculative transaction concerning Rubber shares. (It was in the autumn of the great gambling year, 1910). He had simply opened his lucky and wise mouth at the proper moment, and the money, like ripe golden fruit, had fallen into it, a gift from benign Heaven, surely a cause for happiness! And yet-he did not feel so jolly! He was surprised, he was even a little hurt, to discover by introspection that monetary gain was not necessarily accompanied by felicity. Nevertheless, this very successful man of the world of the Five Towns, having been born on the 27th of May, 1867, had reached the age of forty-three and a half years.

.....

"It's a clean wound," he observed judiciously. In spite of himself, he could not keep a certain flippant harsh quality out of his tone.

"Well, I've naturally washed it with carbolic," Nellie returned sharply.

.....