E-text prepared by Lionel Sear LADY GOOD-FOR-NOTHING A Man's Portrait of a Woman by ARTHUR THOMAS QUILLER-COUCH ('Q') First Published in 1910. This story originally appeared in the weekly edition of the "Times," and is now issued in book form by arrangement with the Proprietors of that Journal. TO My Commodore and old Friend Edward Atkinson, Esq. of Rosebank, Mixtow-by-Fowey. NOTE Some years ago an unknown American friend proposed my writing a story on the loves and adventures of Sir Harry Frankland, Collector of the Port of Boston in the mid-eighteenth century, and Agnes Surriage, daughter of a poor Marble-head fisherman. The theme attracted me as it has attracted other writers--and notably Oliver Wendell Holmes, who built a poem on it. But while their efforts seemed to leave room for another, I was no match for them in knowledge of the facts or of local details; and, moreover, these facts and details cramped my story. I repented, therefore and, taking the theme, altered the locality and the characters--who, by the way, in the writing have become real enough to me, albeit in a different sense. Thus (I hope) no violence has been offered to historical truth, while I have been able to tell the tale in my own fashion. "Q." CONTENTS. BOOK I.--PORT NASSAU. I. THE BEACH. II. PORT NASSAU. III. TWO GUINEAS. IV. FATHER AND SON. V. RUTH. VI. PARENTHETICAL--OF THE FAMILY OF VYELL. VII. A SABBATH-BREAKER. VIII. ANOTHER SABBATH-BREAKER. IX. THE SCOURGE. X. THE BENCH. XI. THE STOCKS. XII. THE HUT BY THE BEACH. XIII. RUTH SETS OUT. BOOK II.--PROBATION. I. AFTER TWO YEARS. II. MR. SILK. III. MR. HICHENS. IV. VASHTI. V. SIR OLIVER'S HEALTH. VI. CAPTAIN HARRY AND MR. HANMER. VII. FIRST OFFER. VIII. CONCERNING MARGARET. IX. THE PROSPECT. X. THREE LADIES. XI. THE ESPIAL. XII. LADY CAROLINE. XIII. DIANA VYELL. XIV. MR. SILK PROPOSES. XV. THE CHOOSING. BOOK III.--THE BRIDALS. I. BETROTHED. II. THE RETURN. III. NESTING. IV. THE BRIDEGROOM. V. RUTH'S WEDDING DAY. VI. "YET HE WILL COME--". VII. HOUSEKEEPING. VIII. HOME-COMING. BOOK IV.--LADY GOOD-FOR-NOTHING. I. BATTY LANGTON, CHRONICLER. II. SIR OLIVER SAILS. III. MISCALCULATING WRATH. IV. THE TERRACE. V. A PROLOGUE TO NOTHING. VI. CHILDLESS MOTHER. BOOK V.--LISBON AND AFTER. I. ACT OF FAITH. II. DONNA MARIA. III. EARTHQUAKE. IV. THE SEARCH. V. THE FINDING. VI. DOCUMENTS. VII. THE LAST OFFER. EPILOGUE "An innocent life, yet far astray." Wordsworth's _Ruth_. BOOK I. PORT NASSAU. Chapter I. THE BEACH. A coach-and-six, as a rule, may be called an impressive Object. But something depends on where you see it.