Chapter I: Front Matter

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THE MODERN
STUDENT'S LIBRARY

EACH VOLUME EDITED BY A LEADING
AMERICAN AUTHORITY

This series is composed of such works as are conspicuous in the
province of literature for their enduring influence. Every volume
is recognized as essential to a liberal education and will tend to
infuse a love for true literature and an appreciation of the
qualities which cause it to endure.

_A descriptive list of the volumes published in this series appears
in the last pages of this volume_

CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS

_THE MODERN STUDENT'S LIBRARY_

THE ORDEAL OF RICHARD FEVEREL

THE ORDEAL
OF
RICHARD FEVEREL

A HISTORY OF A FATHER AND SON

BY
GEORGE MEREDITH

EDITED WITH AN INTRODUCTION
BY

FRANK W. CHANDLER

PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH AND COMPARATIVE LITERATURE AND DEAN OF THE
COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI

CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS

NEW YORK CHICAGO BOSTON ATLANTA

SAN FRANCISCO DALLAS

COPYRIGHT, 1896, 1917, BY
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS

Printed in the United States of America

_All rights reserved. No part of this book
may be reproduced in any form without
the permission of Charles Scribner's Sons_

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I.--THE INMATES OF RAYNHAM ABBEY 1

II.--SHOWING HOW THE FATES SELECTED THE FOURTEENTH BIRTHDAY
TO TRY THE STRENGTH OF THE SYSTEM 9

III.--THE MAGIAN CONFLICT 16

IV.--ARSON 21

V.--ADRIAN PLIES HIS HOOK 30

VI.--JUVENILE STRATAGEMS 35

VII.--DAPHNE'S BOWER 42

VIII.--THE BITTER CUP 47

IX.--A FINE DISTINCTION 55

X.--RICHARD PASSES THROUGH HIS PRELIMINARY ORDEAL, AND IS
THE OCCASION OF AN APHORISM 60

XI.--IN WHICH THE LAST ACT OF THE BAKEWELL COMEDY IS CLOSED
IN A LETTER 67

XII.--THE BLOSSOMING SEASON 72

XIII.--THE MAGNETIC AGE 83

XIV.--AN ATTRACTION 92

XV.--FERDINAND AND MIRANDA 97

XVI.--UNMASKING OF MASTER RIPTON THOMPSON 106

XVII.--GOOD WINE AND GOOD BLOOD 115

XVIII.--THE SYSTEM ENCOUNTERS THE WILD OATS SPECIAL PLEA 120

XIX.--A DIVERSION PLAYED ON A PENNY WHISTLE 124

XX.--CELEBRATES THE TIME-HONOURED TREATMENT OF A DRAGON
BY THE HERO 127

XXI.--RICHARD IS SUMMONED TO TOWN TO HEAR A SERMON 145

XXII.--INDICATES THE APPROACHES OF FEVER 153

XXIII.--CRISIS IN THE APPLE-DISEASE 163

XXIV.--OF THE SPRING PRIMROSE AND THE AUTUMNAL 175

XXV.--IN WHICH THE HERO TAKES A STEP 180

XXVI.--RECORDS THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF THE HERO 199

XXVII.--CONTAINS AN INTERCESSION FOR THE HEROINE 213

XXVIII.--RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED
UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS 216

XXIX.--IN WHICH THE LAST ACT OF THE COMEDY TAKES THE PLACE
OF THE FIRST 233

XXX.--CELEBRATES THE BREAKFAST 246

XXXI.--THE PHILOSOPHER APPEARS IN PERSON 255

XXXII.--PROCESSION OF THE CAKE 262

XXXIII.--NURSING THE DEVIL 279

XXXIV.--CONQUEST OF AN EPICURE 290

XXXV.--CLARE'S MARRIAGE 310

XXXVI.--A DINNER-PARTY AT RICHMOND 325

XXXVII.--MRS. BERRY ON MATRIMONY 341

XXXVIII.--AN ENCHANTRESS 352

XXXIX.--THE LITTLE BIRD AND THE FALCON: A BERRY TO THE
RESCUE! 376

XL.--CLARE'S DIARY 392

XLI.--AUSTIN RETURNS 409

XLII.--NATURE SPEAKS 420

XLIII.--AGAIN THE MAGIAN CONFLICT 429

XLIV.--THE LAST SCENE 437

XLV.--LADY BLANDISH TO AUSTIN WENTWORTH 454