Category: Novels

Valerie

I have titled these pages with nothing more than my baptismal name. If the reader finds sufficient interest in them to read to the end, he will discover the position that I am in, after an eventful life. I shall, however, not trespass upon his time by making many introductory...

Chapters

8. Chapter 8

As arranged by Lady M--, the next day we went to Harking Castle, the family seat, in Dorsetshire, and I was not sorry to be again quiet, after the noise and bustle of a London s...

7. Chapter 7

Lady R--sat down before her writing materials, and I took my seat on the sofa, as she had requested, and was soon occupied with my reading. I perceived that, as she wrote, her l...

6. Chapter 6

As I continued for more than an hour on the sofa, gloomily passing in review my short career, my present position, and occasionally venturing a surmise upon the future, a feelin...

11. Chapter 11

"My dear Valerie,--The die is cast, and I have now a most difficult game to play. I have risked all upon it, and the happiness of my future life is at stake. But let me narrate...

9. Chapter 9

"Is it possible," thought I, "that love disappointed can turn to such fury--can so harden the heart to all better feelings--induce a woman to shorten the days of her parent--to...

10. Chapter 10

One day he came, accompanied by Mrs Selwyn, who joined him very earnestly in requesting me to pass a day or two with them at their country house at Kew. I accepted the invitatio...

13. Chapter 13

There never was a finer morning in the world than that appointed for the review. It was just the end of May, and all the scenery, even in the very suburbs of the great city, was...

12. Chapter 12

In a few minutes after Lionel's return, which he had considerably postponed, until Monsieur Gironac's dinner hour had all but arrived, my good host first, and then kind, merry l...

5. Chapter 5

For several days I remained quiet in the little ante-chamber, during which Madame d'Albret had been busy every morning driving in her carriage, and ordering me a wardrobe; and a...

1. Chapter 1

I have titled these pages with nothing more than my baptismal name. If the reader finds sufficient interest in them to read to the end, he will discover the position that I am i...

2. Chapter 2

One day, a short time after this, I was walking out as usual with my little brother Pierre in my arms; I was deep in thought; in imagination I was at Luneville with my dear gran...

4. Chapter 4

About an hour afterwards Madame d'Albret, who had left me on the bed while she went down to her sister, came up again, and spoke to me, but from weakness occasioned by the loss...

3. Chapter 3

An elder sister of my mother's resided at Colmar, and I passed most of my time with her during our stay. When my father's regiment was ordered to Paris, this lady requested that...