The Project Gutenberg EBook of Lord of the World, by Robert Hugh Benson

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Title: Lord of the World

Author: Robert Hugh Benson

Release Date: November 11, 2004 [EBook #14021]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LORD OF THE WORLD ***

Produced by Geoff Horton

LORD OF THE WORLD

BY ROBERT HUGH BENSON

Dedication

CLAVI DOMUS DAVID

PREFACE

I am perfectly aware that this is a terribly sensational book, and open
to innumerable criticisms on that account, as well as on many others.
But I did not know how else to express the principles I desired (and
which I passionately believe to be true) except by producing their lines
to a sensational point. I have tried, however, not to scream unduly
loud, and to retain, so far as possible, reverence and consideration for
the opinions of other people. Whether I have succeeded in that attempt
is quite another matter.

Robert Hugh Benson.

CAMBRIDGE 1907.

CONTENTS

PROLOGUE

BOOK I
THE ADVENT

BOOK II
THE ENCOUNTER

BOOK III
THE VICTORY

Persons who do not like tiresome prologues, need not read this one. It
is essential only to the situation, not to the story.

PROLOGUE

"You must give me a moment," said the old man, leaning back.

Percy resettled himself in his chair and waited, chin on hand.

It was a very silent room in which the three men sat, furnished with the
extreme common sense of the period. It had neither window nor door; for
it was now sixty years since the world, recognising that space is not
confined to the surface of the globe, had begun to burrow in earnest.
Old Mr. Templeton's house stood some forty feet below the level of the
Thames embankment, in what was considered a somewhat commodious
position, for he had only a hundred yards to walk before he reached the
station of the Second Central Motor-circle, and a quarter of a mile to
the volor-station at Blackfriars. He was over ninety years old, however,
and seldom left his house now. The room itself was lined throughout with
the delicate green jade-enamel prescribed by the Board of Health, and
was suffused with the artificial sunlight discovered by the great