Transmigration (Volume 1) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1874. Excerpt: ... physical need. I thought of the famous apostrophe of a poet of the period: "Hear, O hear Dionysus and Demeter Give, O give Wine and bread that a poet may live All Olympus I disdain, If I get the gifts of this glorious twain." Now the unique beauty of ale is that it is wine and bread in one. Demeter, Dionysus, and Co.'s entire. Just at this moment there came across me the feeling that I was further from London than I ought to be, and that my chance of seeing Lucy Lovelace that evening was slight. When I accepted Lady Diana's invitation, it was with the notion of a short drive out of town; but I was at least twenty-five miles away. When this thought came suddenly upon me, Lady Diana passed from my mind, and my sole idea was to get to Twickenham, to see Lucy. I made inquiries. The last stage coach had passed just as we arrived. There was a mail up at twelve. I could have post horses, but a glance at them showed they would not reach London till midnight. I was very angry with myself for having thoughtlessly got into this difficulty. I saw no one else to blame. I did not know then what I know now--that Lady Diana Cre9i planned the trip to keep me away from Lucy, and that she had a bet of a hundred guineas on the event. With whom, think you? With my friend Captain Charles Lovelace. However, Lady Diana cared nothing for the hundred guineas, but it absolutely delighted her wicked heart to wile a man away from a girl who loved him. That idiot, Charlie, had told her of my devotion to Lucy; she, diablesse, resolved to interfere. These things I found out afterwards. That night I accused Lady Diana of nothing worse than a wild caprice. Had I known When I came back from my foiled investigation, I ascended the quaint black oak staircase of the old inn, which was bri...