Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Beth Trapaga and PG Distributed Proofreaders THE INCOMPLETE AMORIST By E. NESBIT Illustrated by CLARENCE F. UNDERWOOD 1906 To Richard Reynolds and Justus Miles Forman "Faire naitre un désir, le nourrir, le développer, le grandir, le satisfaire, c'est un poeme tout entier." --_Balzac_. CONTENTS BOOK I. THE GIRL Chapter I. The Inevitable Chapter II. The Irresistible Chapter III. Voluntary Chapter IV. Involuntary Chapter V. The Prisoner Chapter VI. The Criminal Chapter VII. The Escape BOOK II. THE MAN Chapter VIII. The One and the Other Chapter IX. The Opportunity Chapter X. Seeing Life Chapter XI. The Thought Chapter XII. The Rescue Chapter XIII. Contrasts Chapter XIV. Renunciation BOOK III. THE OTHER WOMAN Chapter XV. On Mount Parnassus Chapter XVI. "Love and Tupper" Chapter XVII. Interventions Chapter XVIII. The Truth Chapter XIX. The Truth with a Vengeance Chapter XX. Waking-up Time BOOK IV. THE OTHER MAN Chapter XXI. The Flight Chapter XXII. The Lunatic Chapter XXIII. Temperatures Chapter XXIV. The Confessional Chapter XXV. The Forest Chapter XXVI. The Miracle Chapter XXVII. The Pink Silk Story Chapter XXVIII. "And so--" PEOPLE OF THE STORY Eustace Vernon. The Incomplete Amorist Betty Desmond The Girl The Rev. Cecil Underwood Her Step-Father Miss Julia Desmond Her Aunt Robert Temple The Other Man Lady St. Craye The Other Woman Miss Voscoe The Art Student Madame Chevillon. The Inn-Keeper at Crez Paula Conway A Soul in Hell Mimi Chantal A Model Village Matrons, Concierges, Art Students, Etc. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS "'Oh, what a pity,' said Betty from the heart, 'that we aren't introduced now!'" "'Ah, don't be cross!' she said." "Betty stared at him coldly." "Betty looked nervously around--the scene was agitatingly unfamiliar." "Unfinished, but a disquieting likeness." "'No, thank you: it's all done now.'" "On the further arm of the chair sat, laughing also, a very pretty young woman." "The next morning brought him a letter." Book 1.--The Girl CHAPTER I. THE INEVITABLE. "No. The chemises aren't cut out. I haven't had time. There are enough shirts to go on with, aren't there, Mrs. James?" said Betty. "We can make do for this afternoon, Miss, but the men they're getting blowed out with shirts. It's the children's shifts as we can't make shift without much longer." Mrs. James, habitually doleful, punctuated her speech with sniffs. "That's a joke, Mrs. James," said Betty. "How clever you are!" "I try to be what's fitting," said Mrs. James, complacently. "Talk of fitting," said Betty, "If you like I'll fit on that black bodice for you, Mrs. Symes. If the other ladies don't mind waiting for the reading a little bit."