Charles Rex

Charles Rex

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Title: Charles Rex
Author: Ethel M. Dell
Release Date: November 5, 2004 [EBook #13960]
Language: English
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CHARLES REX
BY ETHEL M. DELL
AUTHOR OF THE TOP OF THE WORLD, THE LAMP IN THE
DESERT, THE HUNDREDTH CHANCE, Etc.
1922
I Dedicate This Book To G. T. S. In Remembrance of A Winter Day

"When half-gods go, the gods arrive." R. W. Emerson
Not with the clash of trumpets And clangour of gates thrown wide, As
when the eager crowds press round To see the half-gods ride; But like a

bird at even Silently winging home, A message came from the darkness
To say that the gods had come.
And the half-gods scoffed in the temple Which custom had bid them
hold-- Sin and Success and Pleasure And the hideous Image of Gold.
Who and what are these strangers? Bid them worship before the shrine
Where we, the gods of the new world, Sit o'er the cards and wine!
So they derided the strangers-- Those gods whom the old folk call
Courage and Honour and Faithfulness And Love which is greater than
all. But when the night was over And the new day pierced within, The
half-gods were gone from the temple, And the gods had entered in.

CONTENTS

PART I
I. Ennui II. Adieu III. The Gift IV. Toby V. Discipline VI. The Abyss
VII. Larpent's Daughter

PART II
I. Jake Bolton II. Maud Bolton III. Bunny IV. Saltash V. The Visitor VI.
How to Manage Men VII. The Promise VIII. The Ally IX. The Idol X.
Resolutions XI. The Butterfly XII. The Ogre's Castle XIII. The End of
the Game

PART III
I. The Virtuous Hero II. The Compact III. L'oiseau bleu IV. The Trap V.
The Confidence VI. The Sacred Fire VII. Surrender VIII. The
Magician's Wand IX. The Warning X. The Mystery XI. Suspicion XII.
The Ally XIII. The Truth XIV. The Last Card

PART IV
I. The Winning Post II. The Villain Scores III. A Wife Is Different IV.
The Idol of Paris V. The Dance of Death VI. The New Lover VII. The
Refugee VIII. The Turning-point IX. Larpent X. In the Name of Love
XI. The Gift of the Gods

CHARLES REX

CHAPTER I
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PART I


CHAPTER I
ENNUI
"I shall go to sea to-morrow," said Saltash, with sudden decision. "I'm
tired of this place, Larpent,--fed up on repletion."
"Then by all means let us go, my lord!" said Larpent, with the faint
glimmer of a smile behind his beard, which was the only expression of
humour he ever permitted himself.
"Believe you're fed up too," said Saltash, flashing a critical look upon
him.
Captain Larpent said nothing, deeming speech unnecessary. All time
spent ashore was wasted in his opinion.

Saltash turned and surveyed the sky-line over the yacht's rail with
obvious discontent on his ugly face. His eyes were odd, one black, one
grey, giving a curiously unstable appearance to a countenance which
otherwise might have claimed to possess some strength. His brows
were black and deeply marked. He had a trick of moving them in
conjunction with his thoughts so that his face was seldom in absolute
repose. It was said that there was a strain of royal blood in Saltash, and
in the days before he had succeeded to the title when he had been
merely Charles Burchester, he had borne the nickname of "the merry
monarch." Certain wild deeds in a youth that had not been beyond
reproach had seemed to warrant this, but of later years a friend had
bestowed a more gracious title upon him, and to all who could claim
intimacy with him he had become "Charles Rex." The name fitted him
like a garment. A certain arrogance, a certain royalty of bearing, both
utterly unconscious and wholly unfeigned, characterized him. Whatever
he did, and his actions were often far from praiseworthy, this careless
distinction of mien always marked him. He received an almost
involuntary respect where he went.
Captain Larpent who commanded his yacht _The Night Moth_--most
morose and unresponsive of men--paid him the homage of absolute
acquiescence. Whatever his private opinions might be, he never
expressed them unless invited to do so by his employer. He never
criticized by word or