Chapter I: Front Matter

THE MASTERFOLK

New 6s. Novels

PIGS IN CLOVER
By FRANK DANBY

THE CALL OF THE WILD
By JACK LONDON

SPENDTHRIFT SUMMER
By MARGREY WILLIAMS

IN THE GUARDIANSHIP OF GOD
By FLORA ANNIE STEEL

BEGGAR’S MANOR
By R. MURRAY GILCHRIST

GORDON KEITH
By THOMAS NELSON PAGE

THE LUCK OF BARERAKES
By CAROLINE MARRIAGE

SIR JULIAN THE APOSTATE
By Mrs. CLEMENT PARSONS

TYPHOON
By JOSEPH CONRAD

JERUSALEM
By SELMA LAGERLÖF

’TWIXT GOD AND MAMMON
By WILLIAM EDWARDS TIREBUCK

LONDON
WILLIAM HEINEMANN
20 & 21 BEDFORD STREET, W.C.

THE MASTERFOLK

Wherein is attempted the unravelling
of the Strange Affair of my Lord
Wyntwarde of Cavil and Miss
Betty Modeyne

by
HALDANE MACFALL
Author of ‘The Wooings of Jezebel Pettyfer,’ etc.

London
William Heinemann
1903

_All rights reserved_

TO
GEORGE MEREDITH
ESQUIRE

TO GIVE YOU THE SALUTE OF SOVEREIGNTY, SIR, CAN ADD NO TITTLE TO YOUR
STATURE; BUT THERE IS SOLDIER’S DELIGHT IN SALUTING A CONQUEROR--AND
TO YOUR BAYS THERE IS NO PRETENCE OF A PRETENDER

CONTENTS

OF THE BUDDING OF THE TREE OF LIFE

_Chapter_ _Page_

_I._ _Which shows some of the Gods in their Machinery, with
but a Shadowy Hint of the Printer’s Devil_ 3

_II._ _Wherein it is discovered that, likely enough from an
Ancestor who was Master of the Horse to King
Harry the Eighth, Master Oliver had inherited some
Gift of Horseplay, together with a Keen Eye for a
Fine Leg on a Woman_ 13

_III._ _Wherein Master Oliver comes to the Conclusion that, to
complete the Dramatic Picture, Greatness should have
known the Hair-Shirt and the Makeshifts of Adversity_ 20

_IV._ _Wherein it would appear that the most respectable Stucco
Architecture may be but a Screen for Gnawing Secrets_ 30

_V._ _Wherein Miss Betty Modeyne is introduced to the Study
of Nature_ 36

_VI._ _Wherein it is hinted that to be Famous is not
necessarily to be Great_ 41

_VII._ _Wherein Ambition shrinks from looking down the Ladder_ 51

_VIII._ _Wherein it is discovered that the Strength of Genius may
lie in the Hair_ 55

_IX._ _Wherein Master Oliver is convinced that it is Difficult
to play the Man’s Part on a Weak Stomach_ 71

_X._ _Wherein Master Oliver entertains Guests_ 77

_XI._ _Wherein Egoism begins to suspect that there is a
Bottom to the Pint Pot_ 82

_ XII._ _Wherein Miss Betty Modeyne wins more Hearts_ 88

_XIII._ _Which contains Some Hints towards the Making of a
Baronet_ 93

_XIV._ _Which has to do with the Fascination of Naughtiness_ 97

_XV._ _Which tells of a Poet that offered Himself for
Sacrifice, and was rejected of the Gods_ 100

_XVI._ _Which hints at an Age of Gold_ 105

OF THE BUDDING OF THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE

_XVII._ _Which has to do with the Awakening of Youth_ 111

_XVIII._ _Of the Coming of Quilliam O’Flaherty Macloughlin
Myre upon the Town_ 115

_XIX._ _Wherein a Strutting Cock comes near to losing a
Feather upon his Own Dunghill_ 118

_XX._ _Wherein Master Devlin throws a Fierce Sidelight
upon the Genius of Poetry_ 121

_XXI._ _Which discovers a Great Man in the Hour of his
Triumph_ 124

_XXII._ _Wherein we are obliged to spend a Brief Moment in
the Company of the Titled Aristocracy_ 128

_XXIII._ _Wherein the Major fights a Brilliant Rearguard
Action; and beats off a Pressing Attack_ 133

_XXIV._ _Which tells, with quite Unnecessary Frankness, of
what chanced at the Tavern of_ The Cock and
Bull _in Fleet Street_ 138

_XXV._ _Wherein the Major takes to his Bed_ 142

_XXVI._ _Wherein Tom Folly blunders along in his Self-centred
Gig--and drags a Dainty Little Lady’s Skirts
into the Wheel_ 144

_XXVII._ _Wherein a Dainty Little Lady, looking out of the
Window of a Shabby Home at a Shabbier
Destiny, joins the Streaming Crowd whose Faces
pass in the Street, drifting towards the Strange
Riot of Living_ 147

_XXVIII._ _Wherein Dawning Womanhood whispers that Dolls
are Dolls_ 150

_XXIX._ _Wherein Mr. Pompey Malahide loses his Breath in
the Midst of a Boast_ 155

_XXX._ _Wherein Miss Betty Modeyne posts a Letter_ 157

_XXXI._ _Wherein a Great Financier is satisfied with his
Bargain_ 159

_XXXII._ _Wherein the Gallant Major rises from the Dead_ 162

_XXXIII._ _Which has to do with one of those Emotional Crises
that change the Whole Tenor of a Man’s Political
Convictions_ 165

_XXXIV._ _Which, to some extent, discloses the Incident of the
Sentimental Tea-cups_ 170

_XXXV._ _Wherein we are bewildered by the Cooings of
Chivalry_ 175

_XXXVI._ _Which touches upon the Pains of enjoying the Glow
of Self-Abasement whilst maintaining a Position
of Dignity_ 177

_XXXVII._ _Which is Uneasy with the Restlessness of Youth_ 182

_XXXVIII._ _Which has to do with the Breaking of a Pretty
Lady’s Picture_ 186

_XXXIX._ _Wherein, the Barber letting the Cat out of the Bag,
we give Chase_ 189

_XL._ _Which, in Somewhat Indelicate Eavesdropping
Fashion, hovers about a Trysting-Place, and
Scandalously Repeats a Private Conversation_ 194

_XLI._ _Which discovers Something of Despised Poetry in a
Waste-paper Basket_ 197

_XLII._ _Wherein we are shown an Emotional Hairdresser at
Loggerheads with Destiny_ 199

_XLIII._ _Wherein we catch a Glimpse of the Benefits that accrue
to a Sound Commercial Education_ 203

_XLIV._ _Wherein a Palace of Art disappears in the Night_ 207

_XLV._ _Wherein a Poet burns his Verse to keep his Feet Warm_ 211

OF THE BLOSSOMING OF THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE

_XLVI._ _Wherein the Husband of the Concierge fears that he
is growing Blind_ 217

_XLVII._ _Which introduces us to the First Lady of France_ 220

_XLVIII._ _Which has to do with the Motherhood of the World_ 223

_XLIX._ _Wherein the Rich Man’s Son seeks the Sweets of
Poverty--not Wholly without Success_ 225

_L._ _Wherein the Spring comes a-frolic into the Court_ 229

_LI._ _Wherein it is hinted that it were Best to “Touch not
the Catte botte a Glove”_ 234

_LII._ _Wherein Yankee Doodle is bugled--with a Strong
Foreign Accent_ 238

_LIII._ _Wherein we skip down the Highway of Youth_ 242

_LIV._ _Wherein the Widow Snacheur separates the Milk from
Human Kindness_ 249

_LV._ _Wherein is Some Worship of the Moon_ 252

_LVI._ _Wherein it is suspected that there has been Peeping
through Windows_ 256

_LVII._ _Which treats of what chanced at the Tavern of_
The Scarlet Jackass 261

_LVIII._ _Wherein the Tears of Compassion heal the Bleeding
Feet of a Straying Woman_ 271

_LIX._ _Wherein it is suspect that our Betty has the Healing
Touch_ 275

_LX._ _Wherein Betty feels the Keen Breath of Winter_ 277

_LXI._ _Wherein the Landlord of_ The Scarlet Jackass _is
unable to sing his Song_ 279

_LXII._ _Wherein a Comely Young Woman waits at a Window
all Night, watching for Sir Tom Fool--listening
for his Step_ 281

_LXIII._ _Wherein the Ceiling of the Tavern that is called_
The Scarlet Jackass _is stained with Blood_ 283

_LXIV._ _Wherein the Angel of the Annunciation enters into a
Garret_ 285

_LXV._ _Wherein Betty walks into the Desert_ 288

_LXVI._ _Which has to do with the Great Orgy of Youth_ 293

_LXVII._ _Wherein Youth finds the Cap and Bells to be but a
Bizarre Crown_ 300

_LXVIII._ _Wherein it is seen that a Man is More or Less
Responsible for his Father_ 301

_LXIX._ _Which treats of a Farewell Banquet to Departing
Youth--whereat Gaston Latour glitters with a
Hectic Glitter_ 305

_LXX._ _Wherein a Comely Young Woman broods upon the
Years_ 309

_LXXI._ _Which treats of a Harmless Riot amongst Such as
Dwell on Mount Parnassus_ 313

_LXXII._ _Wherein our Hero is ill at ease with his own
Shadow_ 315

_LXXIII._ _Wherein our Hero dabbles his Hands in the Turgid
Waters of Philosophy, and brings up Some Grains
of Truth from a Pebbly Bottom. A Chapter
that the Frivolous would do well to skip--the
Ironies being infrequent, if not wholly wanting,
and the Humours lacking in the Comic Interest_ 317

_LXXIV._ _Which sees the Day break in the Tavern of_ The
Golden Sun 323

_LXXV._ _Wherein our Hero goes out into the Night_ 329

_LXXVI._ _Wherein our Hero sets Foot upon the Road to
Rome_ 332

_LXXVII._ _Wherein Foul Things are plotted with Some
Glamour of Romance_ 336

_LXXVIII._ _Wherein our Hero scatters Some Pages of the
Indifferent Wisdom of the Ages to the even more
Indifferent Gulls_ 340

_LXXIX._ _Wherein the Honourable Rupert Greppel shows
Hidalgic_ 344

_LXXX._ _Which treats of the Masterfolk_ 349

_LXXXI._ _Wherein the Widow Snacheur comes into her
Fortune_ 351

_LXXXII._ _Wherein Quilliam O’Flaherty Macloughlin Myre
struts airily towards the Goal of Freedom_ 355

_LXXXIII._ _Which essays the High Epic Note_ 358

_LXXXIV._ _Which has to do with Blue Blood and a Jade-handled
Cane_ 360

_LXXXV._ _Wherein a Man of the World commits the Indiscretion
of putting his Experiences into Writing_ 363

_LXXXVI._ _Wherein our Hero, and Another, go Home_ 366

OF THE BLOSSOMING OF THE TREE OF LIFE

_LXXXVII._ _Which has to do with the Binding of Books in
Half-calf and the Whimsies of Calf Love_ 375

_LXXXVIII._ _Wherein it is suspected that, on Occasion, the
Trumpet of Fame is not Wholly Immaculate
of the Hiccup_ 381

_LXXXIX._ _Wherein Andrew Blotte draws aside the Arras that
hangs Across the Unknown and joins the Company
at a Larger Banquet_ 396

_XC._ _Wherein Hereditary Greatness fails to Glitter
Hidalgic_ 400

_XCI._ _Wherein the Heir of the Ffolliotts falls the Victim
to a Limited Badinage_ 403

_XCII._ _Wherein it is seen that the Blood of the Oldest
Families may run to Inconsequence and Mere
Vulgar Stains_ 407

_XCIII._ _Wherein our Hero comes into a Wide Heritage_ 411

_XCIV._ _Wherein it is suspected that the Garden of Eden was
Well Lost_ 413

OF THE BUDDING OF THE TREE OF LIFE