PEREGRINE'S PROGRESS

BY JEFFERY FARNOL

_He who hath Imagination is blessed or cursed with a fearful magic whereby he may scale the heights of Heaven or plumb the deeps of Hell_

CONTENTS

ANTE SCRIPTUM

BOOK I--THE SILENT PLACES

I Introducing Myself

II Tells How and Why I Set Forth Upon the Quest in Question

III Wherein the Reader Shall Find Some Description of an Extraordinary Tinker

IV In Which I Meet a Down-at-Heels Gentleman

V Further Concerning the Aforesaid Gentleman, One Anthony

VI Describes Certain Lively Happenings at the "Jolly Waggoner" Inn

VII White Magic

VIII I Am Left Forlorn

IX Describes the Woes of Galloping Jerry, a Notorious Highwayman

X The Philosophy of the Same

XI Which Proves Beyond All Argument That Clothes Make the Man

XII The Price of a Goddess

XIII Which Tells Somewhat of My Deplorable Situation

XIV In Which I Satisfy Myself of My Cowardice

XV Proving That a Goddess Is Wholly Feminine

XVI In Which I Begin to Appreciate the Virtues of the Chaste Goddess

XVII How We Set Out for Tonbridge

XVIII Concerning the Grammar of a Goddess

XIX How and Why I Fought with One Gabbing Dick, a Peddler

XX Of the Tongue of a Woman and the Feet of a Goddess

XXI In Which I Learned That I Am Less of a Coward Than I Had Supposed

XXII Describing the Hospitality of One Jerry Jarvis, a Tinker

XXIII Discusses the Virtues of the Onion

XXIV How I Met One Jessamy Todd, a Snatcher of Souls

XXV Tells of My Adventures at the Fair

XXVI The Ethics of Prigging

XXVII Juno Versus Diana

XXVIII Exemplifying That Clothes Do Make the Man

XXIX Tells of an Ominous Meeting

XXX Of a Truly Memorable Occasion

XXXI A Vereker's Advice to a Vereker

XXXII How I Made a Surprising Discovery, Which, However, May Not Surprise the Reader in the Least

XXXIII Of Two Incomparable Things. The Voice of Diana and Jessamy's "Right"

XXXIV The Noble Art of Organ-Playing

XXXV Of a Shadow in the Sun

XXXVI Tells How I Met Anthony Again

XXXVII A Disquisition on True Love

XXXVIII A Crucifixion

XXXIX How I Came Home Again

TO THE READER

BOOK II--SHADOW

I The Incidents of an Early Morning Walk

II Introducing Jasper Shrig, a Bow Street Runner

III Concerning a Black Postchaise

IV Of a Scarabaeus Ring and a Gossamer Veil

V Storm and Tempest

VI I Am Haunted of Evil Dreams

VII Concerning the Song of a Blackbird at Evening

VIII The Deeps of Hell

IX Concerning the Opening of a Door

X Tells How a Mystery Was Resolved

XI Which Shows That My Uncle Jervas Was Right, After All

XII Tells How I Went Upon an Expedition with Mr. Shrig

TO MY PATIENT AND KINDLY READER

BOOK III--DAWN

I Concerning One Tom Martin, an Ostler

II I Go to Find Diana

III Tells How I Found Diana and Sooner Than I Deserved

IV I Wait for a Confession

V In Which We Meet Old Friends

VI Which, as the Patient Reader Sees, Is the Last

ANTE SCRIPTUM

This is the tale of Diana, the Gipsy, the Goddess, the Woman, one in all and all in one and that one so wonderful, so elusive, so utterly feminine that I, being but a man and no great student in the Sex, may, in striving to set her before you in cold words, distort this dear image out of all semblance and true proportion.

Here and now I would begin this book by telling of Diana as I remember her, a young dryad vivid with life, treading the leafy ways, grey eyes a-dream, kissed by sun and wind, filling the woodland with the glory of her singing, out-carolling the birds.

I would fain show her to you in her swift angers and ineffable tenderness, in her lofty pride and sweet humility, passionate with life yet boldly virginal, fronting evil scornful and undismayed, with eyes glittering bright as her "little _churi_" yet yielding herself a willing sacrifice and meekly enduring for Friendship's sake.

With her should this book properly commence; but because I doubt my pen (more especially at this so early stage) I will begin not with Diana but with my aunt Julia, my uncle Jervas, my uncle George and my painfully conscious self, trusting that, as this narrative progresses, my halting pen may grow more assured and my lack of art be atoned for by sincerity. For if any writer or historian were sincere then most truly that am I.

Therefore I set forth upon this relation humbly aware of my failings, yet trusting those who read will not fall asleep over my first ineffectual chapter nor throw the book aside after my second, but with kind and tolerant patience will bear with me and read bravely on until, being more at my ease, I venture to tell of Diana's wonderful self.

And when they shall come to the final chapter of this history (if they ever do) may they be merciful in their judgment of their humble author, that is to say this same poor, ineffectual, unheroical person who now subscribes himself

PEREGRINE VEREKER.