Transcriber’s Note Italic text displayed as: _italic_ LUCIUS DAVOREN OR PUBLICANS AND SINNERS A Novel BY THE AUTHOR OF ‘LADY AUDLEY’S SECRET’ ETC. ETC. ETC. IN THREE VOLUMES VOL. II. [Illustration] LONDON JOHN MAXWELL AND CO. 4 SHOE LANE, FLEET STREET 1873 [_All rights reserved_] LONDON: ROBSON AND SONS, PRINTERS, PANCRAS ROAD, N.W. CONTENTS OF VOL. II. [Illustration] Book the First. (_Continued_). CHAP. PAGE XIV. GEOFFREY LEARNS THE WORST 1 XV. THE BEGINNING OF A MYSTERY 20 XVI. AN UNPLEASANT DISCOVERY 41 Book the Second. I. GEOFFREY BEGINS A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY 64 II. LADY BAKER 82 III. LADY BAKER TELLS THE STORY OF THE PAST 91 IV. LUCIUS MAKES A CONFESSION 115 Book the Third. I. A CHANGE CAME O’ER THE SPIRIT OF MY DREAM 132 II. LUCIUS IS PUZZLED 143 III. HOMER SIVEWRIGHT’S LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT 151 IV. WHAT LUCIUS SAW BETWIXT MIDNIGHT AND MORNING 171 V. LUCIUS AT FAULT 183 VI. THE PLUNDER OF THE MUNIMENT CHEST 191 VII. THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE 217 VIII. MR. OTRANTO PRONOUNCES AN OPINION 228 IX. THE MYSTERY OF LUCILLE’S PARENTAGE 237 X. MYSTIC MUSIC 256 XI. AT FAULT 264 XII. TROUBLES THICKEN 273 LUCIUS DAVOREN Book the First. CHAPTER XIV. GEOFFREY LEARNS THE WORST. They had dined, and the letter was written. A week-old moon shone in the placid heaven; the tender night-stillness had descended upon the always quiet town; lights twinkled gaily from the casements of surrounding villas; like a string of jewels gleamed the lamps of the empty High-street. The slow river wound his sinuous course between the rushes and the willows with scarce a ripple. No sweeter air could have breathed among the leaves, no calmer sky could have o’er-canopied this earth on that night in Verona when young Romeo stole into Capulet’s garden under the midnight stars. It was a night made for lovers.