Adela Cathcart, vol 1

Adela Cathcart, Vol. 1, by
George MacDonald

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Title: Adela Cathcart, Vol. 1
Author: George MacDonald

Release Date: September, 2005 [EBook #8892] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on August 21,
2003]
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CATHCART, VOL. 1 ***

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ADELA CATHCART
Volume I.
BY
GEORGE MACDONALD M.A.
Me list not of the chaf ne of the stre Maken so long a tale as of the corn.
CHAUCER.--Man of Lawes Tale.

ADELA CATHCART
Originally published in 1864
With appreciation to Mrs. Morag Black for the master copies of
Volumes II and III, to the Bodleian Library for the photo-copies of
Volume I, and to Miss Tracy Samuel for type-copying Volumes I, II,
and III for this Edition.

To John Rutherfurd Russell M.D.
This book is affectionately dedicated by the author.

Contents of the First Volume
I CHRISTMAS EVE
II CHURCH
III THE CHRISTMAS DINNER
IV THE NEW DOCTOR
V THE LIGHT PRINCESS
VI THE BELL
VII THE SCHOOLMASTER'S STORY

ADELA CATHCART.
Chapter I.
Christmas Eve.
It was the afternoon of Christmas Eve, sinking towards the night. All
day long the wintry light had been diluted with fog, and now the
vanguard of the darkness coming to aid the mist, the dying day was
well nigh smothered between them. When I looked through the window,
it was into a vague and dim solidification of space, a mysterious region
in which awful things might be going on, and out of which anything
might come; but out of which nothing came in the meantime, except
small sparkles of snow, or rather ice, which as we swept rapidly
onwards, and the darkness deepened, struck faster and faster against the
weather-windows. For we, that is, myself and a fellow-passenger, of

whom I knew nothing yet but the waistcoat and neckcloth, having
caught a glimpse of them as he searched for an obstinate railway-ticket,
were in a railway-carriage, darting along, at an all but frightful rate,
northwards from London.
Being, the sole occupants of the carriage, we had made the most of it,
like Englishmen, by taking seats diagonally opposite to each other,
laying our heads in the corners, and trying to go to sleep. But for me it
was of no use to try any longer. Not that I had anything particular on
my mind or spirits; but a man cannot always go to sleep at spare
moments. If anyone can, let him consider it a great gift, and make good
use of it accordingly; that is, by going to sleep on every such
opportunity.
As I, however, could not sleep, much as I should have enjoyed it, I
proceeded to occupy my very spare time with building, up what I may
call a conjectural mould, into which the face, dress, carriage, &c., of
my companion would fit. I had already discovered that he was a
clergyman; but this added to my difficulties in constructing the said
mould. For, theoretically, I had a great dislike to clergymen; having,
hitherto, always found that the clergy absorbed the man; and that the
cloth, as they called it even themselves, would be no bad epithet for the
individual, as well as the class. For all clergymen whom I had yet met,
regarded mankind and their interests solely from the clerical point of
view, seeming far more desirous that a man should be a good church
man, as they called it, than that he should love God. Hence, there was
always an indescribable and, to me, unpleasant odour of their
profession about them. If they knew more concerning the life of the
world than other men, why should everything they said remind one of
mustiness and mildew? In a word,