A Prince of Sinners

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A Prince of Sinners

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Title: A Prince of Sinners
Author: E. Phillips Oppenheim

Release Date: October 30, 2005 [eBook #16971]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)
***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A PRINCE OF SINNERS***
E-text prepared by MRK

A PRINCE OF SINNERS
by
E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM

Contents

PART I.
I. Mr. Kingston Brooks, Political Agent II. The Bullsom Family at Home III. Kingston Brooks has a Visitor IV. A Question for the Country V. The Marquis of Arranmore VI. The Man who went to Hell VII. A Thousand Pounds VIII. Kingston Brooks makes Inquiries IX. Henslow speaks out X. A Tempting Offer XI. Who the Devil is Brooks? XII. Mr. Bullsom gives a Dinner-party XIII. Charity the "Crime" XIV. An Awkward Question XV. A Supper-party at the "Queen's" XVI. Uncle and Niece XVII. Fifteen Years in Hell XVIII. Mary Scott pays an Unexpected Call XIX. The Marquis Mephistopheles XX. The Confidence of Lord Arranmore

PART II.
I. Lord Arranmore's Amusements II. The Heckling of Henslow III. Mary Scott's Two Visitors IV. A Marquis on Matrimony V. Brooks enlists a Recruit VI. Kingston Brooks, Philanthropist VII. Brooks and his Missions VIII. Mr. Bullsom is Staggered IX. Ghosts X. A New Don Quixote

PART III.
I. An Aristocratic Recruit II. Mr. Lavilette interferes III. The Singular Behaviour of Mary Scott IV. Lord Arranmore in a New Role V. Lady Sybil lends a Hand VI. The Reservation of Mary Scott VII. Father and Son VIII. The Advice of Mr. Bullsom IX. A Question and an Answer X. Lady Sybil says "Yes" XI. Brooks hears the News XII. The Prince of Sinners speaks out

A Prince of Sinners

CHAPTER I
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PART I
CHAPTER I
MR. KINGSTON BROOKS, POLITICAL AGENT
Already the sweepers were busy in the deserted hall, and the lights burned low. Of the great audience who had filled the place only half-an-hour ago not one remained. The echoes of their tumultuous cheering seemed still to linger amongst the rafters, the dust which their feet had raised hung about in a little cloud. But the long rows of benches were empty, the sweepers moved ghostlike amongst the shadows, and an old woman was throwing tealeaves here and there about the platform. In the committee-room behind a little group of men were busy with their leave-takings. The candidate, a tall, somewhat burly man, with hard, shrewd face and loosely knit figure, was shaking hands with every one. His tone and manner savoured still of the rostrum.
"Good-night, sir! Good-night, Mr. Bullsom! A most excellent introduction, yours, sir! You made my task positively easy. Good-night, Mr. Brooks. A capital meeting, and everything very well arranged. Personally I feel very much obliged to you, sir. If you carry everything through as smoothly as this affair to-night, I can see that we shall lose nothing by poor Morrison's breakdown. Good-night, gentlemen, to all of you. We will meet at the club at eleven o'clock to-morrow morning. Eleven o'clock precisely, if you please."
The candidate went out to his carriage, and the others followed in twos and threes. A young man, pale, with nervous mouth, strongly-marked features and clear dark eyes, looked up from a sheaf of letters which he was busy sorting.
"Don't wait for me, Mr. Bullsom," he said. "Reynolds will let me out, and I had better run through these letters before I leave."
Mr. Bullsom was emphatic to the verge of gruffness.
"You'll do nothing of the sort," he declared. "I tell you what it is, Brooks. We're not going to let you knock yourself up. You're tackling this job in rare style. I can tell you that Henslow is delighted."
"I'm much obliged to you for saying so, Mr. Bullsom," the young man answered. "Of course the work is strange to me, but it is very interesting, and I don't mean to make a mess of it."
"There is only one chance of your doing that," Mr. Bullsom rejoined, "and that is if you overwork yourself. You need a bit of looking after. You've got a rare head on your shoulders, and I'm proud to think that I was the one to bring your name before the committee. But I'm jolly well certain of one thing. You've done all the work a man ought to do in one day. Now listen to me. Here's my carriage waiting, and you're going straight home with me to have a bite and a glass of wine. We can't afford to lose our second agent, and I can see what's the matter with you. You're as pale as a ghost, and no wonder.