A Prince of Sinners

A free download from http://www.dertz.in


A Prince of Sinners

The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Prince of Sinners, by E. Phillips
Oppenheim
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

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
">
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