The Eagles Shadow

The Eagle's Shadow

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Eagle's Shadow, by James Branch Cabell 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: The Eagle's Shadow
Author: James Branch Cabell
Release Date: January 31, 2004 [EBook #10882]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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[Illustration: "Margaret"]
THE
EAGLE'S SHADOW
By
JAMES BRANCH CABELL
1904
To
Martha Louise Branch
_In trust that the enterprise may be judged less by the merits of its factor than by those of its patron_

CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
XI.
XII.
XIII.
XIV.
XV.
XVI.
XVII.
XVIII.
XIX.
XX.
XXI.
XXII.
XXIII.
XXIV.
XXV.
XXVI.
XXVII.
XXVIII.
XXIX.
XXX.
XXXI.
XXXII.
XXXIII.

THE CHARACTERS
Colonel Thomas Hugonin, formerly in the service of Her Majesty the Empress of India, Margaret Hugonin's father.
Frederick R. Woods, the founder of Selwoode, Margaret's uncle by marriage.
Billy Woods, his nephew, Margaret's quondam fianc��.
Hugh Van Orden, a rather young young man, Margaret's adorer.
Martin Jeal, M.D., of Fairhaven, Margaret's family physician.
Cock-Eye Flinks, a gentleman of leisure, Margaret's chance acquaintance.
Petheridge Jukesbury, president of the Society for the Suppression of Nicotine and the Nude, Margaret's almoner in furthering the cause of education and temperance.
Felix Kennaston, a minor poet, Margaret's almoner in furthering the cause of literature and art.
Sarah Ellen Haggage, Madame President of the Ladies' League for the Edification of the Impecunious, Margaret's almoner in furthering the cause of charity and philanthropy. Kathleen Eppes Saumarez, a lecturer before women's clubs, Margaret's almoner in furthering the cause of theosophy, nature study, and rational dress.
Ad��le Haggage, Mrs. Haggage's daughter, Margaret's rival with Hugh Van Orden.
And Margaret Hugonin.
The other participants in the story are Wilkins, C��lestine, The Spring Moon and The Eagle.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
"Margaret"
"'Altogether,' says Colonel Hugonin, 'they strike me as being the most ungodly menagerie ever gotten together under one roof since Noah landed on Ararat'"
"Then, for no apparent reason, Margaret flushed, and Billy ... thought it vastly becoming"
"Billy Woods"
"Billy unfolded it slowly, with a puzzled look growing in his countenance"
"'My lady,' he asked, very softly, 'haven't you any good news for me on this wonderful morning?'"
"Miss Hugonin pouted. 'You needn't, be such a grandfather,' she suggested helpfully."
"Regarded them with alert eyes"

THE EAGLE'S SHADOW
I
This is the story of Margaret Hugonin and of the Eagle. And with your permission, we will for the present defer all consideration of the bird, and devote our unqualified attention to Margaret.
I have always esteemed Margaret the obvious, sensible, most appropriate name that can be bestowed upon a girl-child, for it is a name that fits a woman--any woman--as neatly as her proper size in gloves.
Yes, the first point I wish to make is that a woman-child, once baptised Margaret, is thereby insured of a suitable name. Be she grave or gay in after-life, wanton or pious or sullen, comely or otherwise, there will be no possible chance of incongruity; whether she develop a taste for winter-gardens or the higher mathematics, whether she take to golf or clinging organdies, the event is provided for. One has only to consider for a moment, and if among a choice of Madge, Marjorie, Meta, Maggie, Margherita, Peggy, and Gretchen, and countless others--if among all these he cannot find a name that suits her to a T--why, then, the case is indeed desperate and he may permissibly fall back upon Madam or--if the cat jump propitiously, and at his own peril--on Darling or Sweetheart.
The second proof that this name must be the best of all possible names is that Margaret Hugonin bore it. And so the murder is out. You may suspect what you choose. I warn you in advance that I have no part whatever in her story; and if my admiration for her given name appear somewhat excessive, I can only protest that in this dissentient world every one has a right to his own taste. I knew Margaret. I admired her. And if in some unguarded moment I may have carried my admiration to the point of indiscretion, her husband most assuredly knows all about it, by this, and he and I are still the best of friends. So you perceive that if I ever did so far forget myself it could scarcely have amounted to a hanging matter.
I am doubly sure that Margaret Hugonin was beautiful, for the reason that I have never found a woman under forty-five who shared my opinion. If you clap a Testament into my hand, I cannot affirm that women are eager to recognise beauty in one another; at the utmost they concede that this or that particular feature is well enough. But when a woman is clean-eyed and straight-limbed, and has a cheery heart, she really cannot help being beautiful; and when Nature accords her a sufficiency of dimples and an infectious laugh, I protest she is