the novel athalie

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Athalie, by Robert W Chambers This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net Title: Athalie Author: Robert W Chambers Illustrator: Frank Craig Release Date: November 27, 2008 [EBook #27342] Language: English *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ATHALIE *** Produced by Suzanne Shell, Jen Haines and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net Chapter Listing CHAPTER I CHAPTER XVI CHAPTER II CHAPTER XVII CHAPTER III CHAPTER XVIII CHAPTER IV CHAPTER XIX CHAPTER V CHAPTER XX CHAPTER VI CHAPTER XXI CHAPTER VII CHAPTER XXII CHAPTER VIII CHAPTER XXIII CHAPTER IX CHAPTER XXIV CHAPTER X CHAPTER XXV CHAPTER XI CHAPTER XXVI CHAPTER XII CHAPTER XXVII CHAPTER XIII CHAPTER XXVIII CHAPTER XIV CHAPTER XXIX CHAPTER XV CHAPTER XXX Athalie Dust Jacket Dust Jacket Novels by Robert W Chambers Athalie The Business of Life Who Goes There! The Gay Rebellion Anne's Bridge The Streets of Ascalon Between Friends The Common Law The Hidden Children Ailsa Paige Quick Action The Green Mouse Blue-Bird Weather Iole Japonette The Reckoning The Adventures of a Modest Man The Maid-at-Arms The Danger Mark The Haunts of Men Special Messenger The Mystery of Choice The Firing Line The Cambric Mask The Younger Set The Maker of Moons The Fighting Chance The King in Yellow Some Ladies in Haste In Search of the Unknown The Tree of Heaven The Conspirators The Tracer of Lost Persons A King and a Few Dukes A Young Man in a Hurry In the Quarter Cardigan Ashes of Empire Lorraine The Red Republic Maids of Paradise Outsiders "'Clive is a good deal of a man I never had a better companion.'" "'Clive is a good deal of a man I never had a better companion.'" [Page 242.] ATHALIE BY ROBERT W CHAMBERS Publisher Badge WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY FRANK CRAIG NEW YORK AND LONDON D APPLETON AND COMPANY 1915 COPYRIGHT, 1915, BY ROBERT W CHAMBERS COPYRIGHT, 1914, 1915, BY THE INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE COMPANY Printed in the United States of America TO MY FRIEND MESSMORE KENDALL LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS "'Clive is a good deal of a man I never had a better companion.'" Frontispiece FACING PAGE "'Boy?' inquired Ledlie, resting one soil-incrusted boot on his spade." "'I'd like to come down here for the summer vacation,' said the boy, awkwardly." "'I'm glad I saw you,' said the girl; 'I hope you won't forget me.'" "C Bailey, Jr., and Athalie Greensleeve had supped together more than once at the Regina." "Beside her, eager, happy, flattered, walked C Bailey, Jr., very conscious that he was being envied." "'I like her,' repeated Clive, Jr., a trifle annoyed." "It was in this place that Clive encountered Cecil Reeve one stormy midnight." "He rather liked being with his own sort again." "'Wasn't a civil bow enough?'" "One lovely morning in May she arose early in order to write to Clive." "Mr Wahlbaum was very quiet, very considerate, very attentive." "Doris continued to haunt agencies and theatrical offices." "With him she visited the various museums and art galleries." "With a basket containing Hafiz, her suit-case, and a furled umbrella she started for her new lodgings." "'Wasn't it suicide?' asked Athalie." "She said in a low voice, still watching intently: 'Blue sky, green trees, a snowy shore, and little azure wavelets '" "Mrs Bailey, Jr., looked pale and pretty sitting there." 34 40 78 80 82 114 116 126 148 150 154 168 178 180 210 232 "During convalescence he read 'Under Two Flags' and approved the idea." "His theme happened to be his own wonderful trap record, that evening." "'There is your extra,' she said pleasantly." "Once more, the old happy companionship began." "Finally he cut the envelope and seated himself beside the lamp." "When he saw her he sprang out and came forward." "She suddenly sat upright, resting one slender hand on his shoulder." "Clive nodded: 'Keep them off the place, Connor.'" "'Sure I was that worritted,' burst out Mrs Connor." "'Michael,' she said, smiling." "And then her hands were in his and she was looking into his beloved eyes once more." "Sometimes Athalie lunched there in the garden with him." ATHALIE 234 244 266 284 300 316 330 346 348 372 378 400 CHAPTER I W HEN Mrs Greensleeve first laid eyes on her baby she knew it was different from the other children "What is the matter with it?" she asked The preoccupied physician replied that there was nothing the matter In point of fact he had been admiring the newly born little girl when her mother asked the question "She's about as perfect as they make 'em," he concluded, placing the baby beside her mother The mother said nothing From moment to moment she turned her head on the pillow and gazed down at her new daughter with a curious, questioning expression She had never gazed at any of her other children so uneasily Even after she fell asleep the slightly puzzled expression remained as a faint crease between her brows Her husband, who had been wandering about from the bar to the office, from the office to the veranda, and occasionally entirely around the exterior of the roadhouse, came in on tiptoe and looked rather vacantly at them both Then he went out again as though he was not sure where he might be going He was a little man and mild, and he did not look as though he had been created for anything in particular, not even for the purpose of procreation It was one of those early April days when birds make a great fuss over their vocal accomplishments, and the brown earth grows green over night—when the hot spring sun draws vapours from the soil, and the characteristic Long Island odour of manure is far too prevalent to please anybody but a native Peter Greensleeve, wandering at hazard around the corner of the tavern, came upon his business partner, Archer B Ledlie leisurely digging for bait in the barnyard The latter was in his shirt-sleeves—always a good sign for continued fair weather ... Special Messenger The Mystery of Choice The Firing Line The Cambric Mask The Younger Set The Maker of Moons The Fighting Chance The King in Yellow Some Ladies in Haste In Search of the Unknown The Tree of Heaven... The Common Law The Hidden Children Ailsa Paige Quick Action The Green Mouse Blue-Bird Weather Iole Japonette The Reckoning The Adventures of a Modest Man The Maid-at-Arms The Danger Mark The Haunts of Men... CHAPTER XXX Athalie Dust Jacket Dust Jacket Novels by Robert W Chambers Athalie The Business of Life Who Goes There! The Gay Rebellion Anne's Bridge The Streets of Ascalon Between Friends The Common Law