The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition, Vol. 20

_Of this SWANSTON EDITION in Twenty-five Volumes of the Works of ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON Two Thousand and Sixty Copies have been printed, of which only Two Thousand Copies a...

A TALE OF A LION RAMPANT It was in the month of May 1813 that I was so unlucky as to fall at last into the hands of the enemy. My knowledge of the English language had marked me o...

A TALE OF A PAIR OF SCISSORS I was still plunged in these thoughts when the bell was rung that discharged our visitors into the street. Our little market was no sooner closed than...

MAJOR CHEVENIX COMES INTO THE STORY AND GOGUELAT GOES OUT There was never any talk of a recovery, and no time was lost in getting the man's deposition. He gave but the one account...

ST. IVES GETS A BUNDLE OF BANK-NOTES I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger. This was a man of ...

ST. IVES IS SHOWN A HOUSE The lawyer was scarce gone before I remembered many omissions; and chief among these, that I had neglected to get Mr. Burchell Fenn's address. Here was a...

THE ESCAPE The time for our escape drew near, and the nearer it came the less we seemed to enjoy the prospect. There is but one side on which this Castle can be left either with d...

SWANSTON COTTAGE I had two views. The first was, naturally, to get clear of Edinburgh Castle and the town, to say nothing of my fellow-prisoners; the second to work to the southwa...

THE HEN-HOUSE I was half-an-hour at least in the society of these distressing bipeds, and alone with my own reflections and necessities. I was in great pain of my flayed hands, an...

upon the journey) I conceive as rather a theatrical figure, and his make-up should be to match." "And yet there is a difficulty," said she. "If you got coarse clothes the fit woul...

THREE IS COMPANY, AND FOUR NONE The rest of the day I slept in the corner of the hen-house upon Flora's shawl. Nor did I awake until a light shone suddenly in my eyes, and startin...

THE DROVERS It took me a little effort to come abreast of my new companion; for though he walked with an ugly roll and no great appearance of speed, he could cover the ground at a...

THE GREAT NORTH ROAD It chanced that as I went down the hill these last words of my friend the drover echoed not unfruitfully in my head. I had never told these men the least part...

I FOLLOW A COVERED CART NEARLY TO MY DESTINATION At last I began to draw near, by reasonable stages, to the neighbourhood of Wakefield; and the name of Mr. Burchell Fenn came to t...

I MEET TWO OF MY COUNTRYMEN As soon as I judged it safe, and that was not before Burchell Fenn had talked himself back into his breath and a complete good-humour, I proposed he sh...

TRAVELS OF THE COVERED CART My companions were aroused with difficulty: the Colonel, poor old gentleman, to a sort of permanent dream, in which you could say of him only that he w...

THE ADVENTURE OF THE ATTORNEY'S CLERK I have mentioned our usual course, which was to eat in inconsiderable wayside hostelries, known to King. It was a dangerous business: we went...

THE HOME-COMING OF MR. ROWLEY'S VISCOUNT By eight the next morning Dudgeon and I had made our parting. By that time we had grown to be extremely familiar; and I would very willing...

THE DESPATCH-BOX The doctor had scarce finished his meal before he hastened with an apology to attend upon his patient; and almost immediately after I was myself summoned and ushe...

MR. ROMAINE CALLS ME NAMES Feeling very much of a fool to be thus taken by surprise, I scrambled to my feet and hastened to make my visitor welcome. He did not refuse me his hand;...

THE DEVIL AND ALL AT AMERSHAM PLACE Never did two human creatures get to their feet with more alacrity than the lawyer and myself. We had locked and barred the main gates of the c...

AFTER THE STORM No sooner was the house clear of my cousin than I began to reckon up, ruefully enough, the probable results of what had passed. Here were a number of pots broken, ...

I BECOME THE OWNER OF A CLARET-COLOURED CHAISE What with packing, signing papers, and partaking of an excellent cold supper in the lawyer's room, it was past two in the morning be...

CHARACTER AND ACQUIREMENTS OF MR. ROWLEY I am not certain that I had ever really appreciated before that hour the extreme peril of the adventure on which I was embarked. The sight...

THE ADVENTURE OF THE RUNAWAY COUPLE The country had for some time back been changing in character. By a thousand indications I could judge that I was again drawing near to Scotlan...

THE INN-KEEPER OF KIRKBY-LONSDALE I had hitherto conceived and partly carried out an ideal that was dear to my heart. Rowley and I descended from our claret-coloured chaise, a cou...

I MEET A CHEERFUL EXTRAVAGANT I pass over the next fifty or sixty leagues of our journey without comment. The reader must be growing weary of scenes of travel; and for my own part...

THE COTTAGE AT NIGHT At the door I was nearly blown back by the unbridled violence of the squall, and Rowley and I must shout our parting words. All the way along Princes Street (...

THE SABBATH-DAY It was indeed high time I should be gone from Swanston; but what I was to do in the meanwhile was another question. Rowley had received his orders last night: he w...

EVENTS OF MONDAY: THE LAWYER'S PARTY By half-past eight o'clock on the next morning, I was ringing the bell of the lawyer's office in Castle Street, where I found him ensconced at...

EVENTS OF TUESDAY: THE TOILS CLOSING This day began with a surprise. I found a letter on my breakfast-table addressed to Edward Ducie, Esquire; and at first I was startled beyond ...

EVENTS OF WEDNESDAY: THE UNIVERSITY OF CRAMOND I awoke to much diffidence, even to a feeling that might be called the beginnings of panic, and lay for hours in my bed considering ...

EVENTS OF THURSDAY: THE ASSEMBLY BALL But I awoke to the chill reminder of dawn, and found myself no master even of cheerless mirth. I had supped with the _Senatus Academicus_ of ...

EVENTS OF FRIDAY MORNING: THE CUTTING OF THE GORDIAN KNOT I pulled out my watch. A fickle ray--the merest filtration of moonlight--glimmered on the dial. Fourteen minutes past one...

THE INCOMPLETE AERONAUTS All this I took in at a glance: I dare say in three seconds or less. The hubbub beneath us dropped to a low, rumbling bass. Suddenly a woman's scream divi...

CAPTAIN COLENSO "But what be us to do with the balloon, sir?" the coxswain demanded. Had it been my affair, I believe I should have obeyed a ridiculous impulse and begged them to...

IN PARIS.--ALAIN PLAYS HIS LAST CARD On the 10th of March at sunset the _Shawmut_ passed the Pointe de Grave fort and entered the mouth of the Gironde, and at eleven o'clock next ...

I GO TO CLAIM FLORA Behold me now speeding northwards on the wings of love, ballasted by Mr. Romaine. But, indeed, that worthy man climbed into the _caleche_ with something less t...