Project Gutenberg's Much Darker Days, by Andrew Lang (AKA A. Huge Longway)

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Title: Much Darker Days

Author: Andrew Lang (AKA A. Huge Longway)

Release Date: June 25, 2007 [EBook #21933]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MUCH DARKER DAYS ***

Produced by David Widger

MUCH DARKER DAYS

by Andrew Lang

[AKA A. Huge Longway]

1884

PREFACE

A belief that modern Christmas fiction is too cheerful in tone, too
artistic in construction, and too original in motive, has inspired the
author of this tale of middle-class life. He trusts that he has escaped,
at least, the errors he deplores, and has set an example of a more
seasonable and sensational style of narrative.

Contents:

CHAPTER I.--The Curse (Registered).

CHAPTER II.--A Villain's By-Blow.

CHAPTER III.--Mes Gages! Mes Gages!

CHAPTER IV.--As A Hatter!

CHAPTER V.--The White Groom.

CHAPTER VI.--Hard As Nails.

CHAPTER VII.--Rescue And Retire!

CHAPTER VIII.--Local Colour.

CHAPTER IX.--Saved! Saved!

CHAPTER X.--Not Too Mad, But Just Mad Enough.

CHAPTER XI.--A Terrible Temptation.

CHAPTER XII.--Judge Juggins.

CHAPTER XIII.--Cleared Up. (From The 'Green Park Gazette.')

MUCH DARKER DAYS.

CHAPTER I.--The Curse (Registered).

WHEN this story of my life, or of such parts of it as are not deemed
wholly unfit for publication, is read (and, no doubt, a public which
devoured 'Scrawled Black' will stand almost anything), it will be found
that I have sometimes acted without prim cautiousness--that I have, in
fact, wallowed in crime. Stillicide and Mayhem I (rare old crimes!) are
child's play to _me_, who have been an 'accessory after the fact!' In
excuse, I can but plead two things-the excellence of the opportunity to
do so, and the weakness of the resistance which my victim offered.

If you cannot allow for these, throw the book out of the
railway-carriage window! You have paid your money, and to the verdict
of your pale morality or absurd sense of art in fiction I am therefore
absolutely indifferent. You are too angelic for me; I am too fiendish
for you. Let us agree to differ. I say