Chapter I: Front Matter

_THE TITLE MARKET_

_By_
_Emily Post_

_Author of "The Flight of a Moth,"_
_"Woven in the Tapestry," etc._

_With Illustrations by_
_J. H. Gardner Soper_

_New York_
_Dodd, Mead and Company_
_1909_

Copyright, 1909, by
THE RIDGWAY COMPANY

Copyright, 1909, by
DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY

Published, September, 1909

"'WE OF ITALY,' HE WAS SAYING, 'LIVE, ENDURE, DIE,
IF NEED BE--ALWAYS FOR THE SAME
REASON--WOMAN AND LOVE!'"

(Page 65)]

As though you did not know each page,
each paragraph, each word;
as though for months and months the Sanseveros,
Nina, John, and all the rest, had not been
your daily companions--
MADRE MIA,
this book is dedicated
to you.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I PRINCE SANSEVERO DIMINISHES THE FORTUNES OF HIS HOUSE 1

II THE PRINCESS PLANS TO RECEIVE THE AMERICAN HEIRESS 14

III NINA 25

IV THE DUKE SCORPA MAKES A DEAL 42

V DON GIOVANNI ARRIVES 48

VI LOVE, AND A GARDEN 64

VII ROME 72

VIII OPENING DAY AT THE TITLE MARKET 86

IX A DOOR IS OPENED THAT GIOVANNI PREFERS TO KEEP CLOSED 97

X MR. RANDOLPH SENDS FOR JOHN DERBY 107

XI ROME GOES TO THE OPERA 116

XII A BALL AT COURT 136

XIII CORONETS FOR SALE 142

XIV APPLES OF SODOM 157

XV AN OPPOSITION BOOTH IS SET UP IN THE MARKET PLACE 163

XVI A MENACE 173

XVII NINA DUSTS BEHIND THE COUNTER 192

XVIII FAVORITA DRIVES A BARGAIN 214

XIX A CHALLENGE, AND AN ANSWER 221

XX HIS EMINENCE, THE ARCHBISHOP OF VENCATA 236

XXI THE SULPHUR MINES 246

XXII BEFORE DAYLIGHT 257

XXIII THE SPIDER'S WEB 269

XXIV WEIGHED IN THE BALANCE 289

XXV "THY PEOPLE SHALL BE MY PEOPLE--" 308

ILLUSTRATIONS

"'WE OF ITALY,' HE WAS SAYING, 'LIVE, ENDURE, DIE, IF NEED BE--ALWAYS FOR THE SAME REASON--WOMEN AND LOVE!'" Page 65 _Frontispiece_

"AS SHE SPOKE, A DOOR OPENED OPPOSITE, AND THE PRINCE CAME IN" Facing page 4

"FOR THE SPACE OF A SECOND SHE FACED THE AUDIENCE, STANDING STILL AND RIGID" 134

"NINA LOOKED AT HIM--'I WONDER IF YOU WOULD BE AMUSED IF YOU KNEW WHY I LAUGHED'" 184

"HIS LIPS FRAMED 'GOOD-BY' AND HERS ANSWERED, BOTH SMILED BRIGHTLY--AND THAT WAS THE PARTING" 232

"'YOU ARE AMERICANO, ARE YOU NOT? YOUR LAND HAS DONE MUCH FOR MY PEOPLE!'" 239