Chapter I: Front Matter

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THE GORGEOUS ISLE

by

GERTRUDE ATHERTON

A Romance

Scene: Nevis, B. W. I., 1842

Illustrated by C. Coles Phillips

New York Doubleday, Page & Company 1908

Copyright, 1908, by The Ess Ess Publishing Company

Copyright, 1908, by Gertrude Atherton Published, October, 1908

All Rights Reserved, Including That of Translation into Foreign Languages, Including the Scandinavian

TO MRS. SPENCER WIGLEY, OF ST. KITTS, B. W. I.

"We are all souls of fire and children of the sun."
--_Helmholtz_.

ILLUSTRATIONS

"'But what a joy to see you in colour. How does it happen?'" FRONTISPIECE

"At this point she became aware that Warner was standing beside her" 74

"'I never wish to see you again'" 174

"Then she left the room again" 216

NOTES

BATH HOUSE. This hotel was erected in 1804 at a cost of £40,000, although built entirely by slaves. Its varied and brilliant career came to an end some time in the forties. The tide of fashion turned, and as it was too large for a private residence, it was left to the elements. Earthquakes have riven it, hurricanes unroofed it, and time devoured it, but it is still magnificent in its ruin.

ATLANTIS. Bacon, in "The New Atlantis," assumes America to be the fabled continent of Atlantis, which, according to his theory, was not submerged, but flooded to such an extent that all the inhabitants perished except the few that fled to the highest mountain tops. I have, however, preferred to adopt the Platonic theory, as at once more plausible and interesting.

QUEEN ELIZABETH'S RING. West Indian tradition gives this historic ring to the Warner family, as related in the story. It descended in the direct line to Colonel Edward Warner, who bequeathed it by will to his brother, Ashton Warner, as "a diamond ring in shape of a heart, given by Queen Elizabeth to the Earl of Essex." This will, dated 27th of December, 1732, was proved in the Probate Court of Canterbury, England, on the 21st of February following. From Ashton Warner it descended to his son Joseph, and at the date of the story was in the possession of Charles Warner, Esq., Solicitor-General of Trinidad, B. W. I.

The Gorgeous Isle