1
The Jervaise Comedy
The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Jervaise Comedy, by J. D. Beresford 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: The Jervaise Comedy
Author: J. D. Beresford
Release Date: February 20, 2005 [EBook #15116]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE JERVAISE COMEDY ***
Produced by Bill Tozier, Barbara Tozier, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
THE JERVAISE COMEDY
BY
J.D. BERESFORD
New York
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1919
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
THE FIRST HOUR II ANNE III FRANK JERVAISE IV IN THE HALL V DAYBREAK VI MORNING VII NOTES AND QUERIES VIII THE OUTCAST IX BANKS X THE HOME FARM XI THE STORY XII CONVERSION XIII FARMER BANKS XIV MRS. BANKS XV REMEMBRANCE POSTSCRIPT--THE TRUE STORYTHE JERVAISE COMEDY
I
THE FIRST HOUR
When I was actually experiencing the thrill, it came delightfully, however, blended with a threat that proclaimed the imminent consequence of dismay. I appreciated the coming of the thrill, as a rare and unexpected "dramatic moment." I savoured and enjoyed it as a real adventure suddenly presented in the midst of the common business of life. I imaginatively transplanted the scene from the Hall of Thorp-Jervaise to a West-End theatre; and in my instant part of unoccupied spectator I admired the art with which the affair had been staged. It is so seldom that we are given an opportunity to witness one of these "hi