Produced by Charles Aldarondo. HTML version by Al Haines. [Editor's Note:--The chapter numbering for volume 2 & 3 was changed from the original in order to have unique chapter numbers for the complete version, so volume 2 starts with chapter XV and volume 3 starts with chapter XXX.] SYLVIA'S LOVERS. BY ELIZABETH GASKELL Oh for thy voice to soothe and bless! What hope of answer, or redress? Behind the veil! Behind the veil!--Tennyson IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: M.DCCC.LXIII. CONTENTS I MONKSHAVEN II HOME FROM GREENLAND III BUYING A NEW CLOAK IV PHILIP HEPBURN V STORY OF THE PRESS-GANG VI THE SAILOR'S FUNERAL VII TETE-A-TETE.--THE WILL VIII ATTRACTION AND REPULSION IX THE SPECKSIONEER X A REFRACTORY PUPIL XI VISIONS OF THE FUTURE XII NEW YEAR'S FETE XIII PERPLEXITIES XIV PARTNERSHIP XV A DIFFICULT QUESTION XVI THE ENGAGEMENT XVII REJECTED WARNINGS XVIII EDDY IN LOVE'S CURRENT XIX AN IMPORTANT MISSION XX LOVED AND LOST XXI A REJECTED SUITOR XXII DEEPENING SHADOWS XXIII RETALIATION XXIV BRIEF REJOICING XXV COMING TROUBLES XXVI A DREARY VIGIL XXVII GLOOMY DAYS XXVIII THE ORDEAL XXIX WEDDING RAIMENT XXX HAPPY DAYS XXXI EVIL OMENS XXXII RESCUED FROM THE WAVES XXXIII AN APPARITION XXXIV A RECKLESS RECRUIT XXXV THINGS UNUTTERABLE XXXVI MYSTERIOUS TIDINGS XXXVII BEREAVEMENT XXXVIII THE RECOGNITION XXXIX CONFIDENCES XL AN UNEXPECTED MESSENGER XLI THE BEDESMAN OF ST SEPULCHRE XLII A FABLE AT FAULT XLIII THE UNKNOWN XLIV FIRST WORDS XLV SAVED AND LOST CHAPTER I MONKSHAVEN On the north-eastern shores of England there is a town called Monkshaven, containing at the present day about fifteen thousand inhabitants. There were, however, but half the number at the end of the last century, and it was at that period that the events narrated in the following pages occurred.