Chapter I: Front Matter

THE CAPTIVE SINGER

THE LIMESTONE CAVES.]

THE CAPTIVE SINGER

BY
MARIE BJELKE PETERSEN

HODDER AND STOUGHTON
LONDON NEW YORK TORONTO

PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY
RICHARD CLAY & SONS, LIMITED,
BRUNSWICK ST., STAMFORD ST., S.E.,
AND BUNGAY, SUFFOLK.

TO
THE PURE WHITE ANGEL

WHOSE LOVE HAS LIFTED ME,
WHOSE WINGS HAVE SHELTERED ME,
WHOSE COMPANIONSHIP HAS INSPIRED ME,
I MOST LOVINGLY AND REVERENTLY
PRESENT THIS BOOK

_I’LL SING THEE SONGS OF ARABY_

“_I’ll sing thee songs of Araby
And tales of fair Cashmere,
Wild tales to cheat thee of a sigh,
Or charm thee to a tear.
And dreams of delight shall on thee break,
And rainbow visions rise,
And all my soul shall strive to wake
Sweet wonder in thine eyes;
And all my soul shall strive to wake
Sweet wonder in thine eyes._

_Through those twin lakes, when wonder wakes,
My raptured song shall sink;
And, as the diver dives for pearls,
Bring tears, bright tears to their brink.
And dreams of delight shall on thee break,
And rainbow visions rise,
And all my soul shall strive to wake
Sweet wonder in thine eyes;
And all my soul shall strive to wake
Sweet wonder in thine eyes.
To cheat thee of a sigh,
Or charm thee to a tear!_”

CONTENTS

PART I

CHAP. PAGE

I. THE HOT-HOUSE 1

II. IN THE WILDS 14

III. THE VOICE IN THE CAVE 25

IV. THE EXPLANATION 43

V. THE BLACK HORSE AND HIS RIDER 52

VI. IN THE DUSK 68

VII. BY THE MARBLE CLIFFS 76

VIII. FATE 89

IX. APPROACHING THE RAPIDS 102

X. THE GIRL IN THE YELLOW GOWN 113

XI. AT THE SHRINE 120

XII. THE CONFESSION 133

PART II

I. THE INTRUDER 144

II. IRIS AND RALPH 157

III. JUSTIN GOES AWAY 168

IV. THE BAR OF DESTINY 177

V. REMORSE 185

VI. HER RESOLVE 190

VII. CONSOLED 195

VIII. CAPTAIN BARTON’S PLAN 201

IX. TO THE RESCUE 206

X. THE SUMMIT 218

XI. WHAT THE FIELD-GLASSES REVEALED 237

XII. HER OFFER 251

XIII. THE GOLDEN ROAD 262

XIV. “HOPE” 270

PART III

I. THE EARL’S VISIT 275

II. THE CABLES 285

III. THEIR GOAL 298