Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreaders THE LORD OF THE SEA By M. P. Shiel CONTENTS I. THE EXODUS II. THE FEZ III. THE HUNTING-CROP IV. THE SWOON V. REID'S VI. “PEARSON'S WEEKLY” VII. THE ELM VIII. THE METEOR IX. HOGARTH'S GUNS X. ISAAC XI. WROXHAM BROAD XII. THE ROSE XIII. OUT OF THE WORLD XIV. THE PRIEST XV. MONSIGNOR XVI. THE ROPE XVII. OLD TOM'S LETTER XVIII. CHLOROFORM XIX. THE GREAT BELL XX. THE INFIRMARY XXI. IN THE DEEP XXII. OLD TOM XXIII. UNDER THE ELM XXIV. FRANKL SEES THE METEORITE XXV. CHURCH ARCHITECTURE XXVI. FRANKL AND O'HARA XXVII. THE BAG OF LIGHT XXVIII. THE LETTER XXIX. PRIORITY OF CLAIM XXX. MR. BEECH XXXI. THE HAMMERS XXXII. WONDER XXXIII. REEFS OF STEEL XXXIV. THE “KAISER” XXXV. THE CUP OF TREMBLING XXXVI. THE “BOODAH” AND THE BATTLESHIPS XXXVII. THE STRAITS XXXVIII. THE MANIFESTO XXXIX. THE “BOODAH'S” LOCK-UP XL. THE WEDDING XLI. THE VISIT XLII. REBEKAH TELLS XLIII. THE LAND BILL XLIV. THE REGENCY XLV. ESTRELLA, THE PROPHETESS XLVI. THE ORDER IN COUNCIL XLVII. THE EMIGRANTS XLVIII. THE SEA-FORTS XLIX. THE DÉBACLE L. THE DECISION LI. THE MODEL I THE EXODUS In the Calle Las Gabias--one of those by-streets of Lisbon below St. Catherine--there occurred one New Year a little event in the Synagogue there worth a mention in this history of Richard, Lord of the Sea. It was Kol Nidrè, eve of the Day of Atonement, and the little Beth-El, sweltering in a dingy air, was transacting the long-drawn liturgy, when, behind the curtain where the women sat, an old dame who had been gazing upward smote her palms together, and let slip a little scream: “The Day is coming...!” She then fainted, and till near ten lay on her bed, lit by the Yom Kippur candle, with open eyes, but without speech, her sere face still beautiful, on each temple a little pyramid of plaits, with gold-and-coral ear-rings: a holy _belle._ About ten P.M. three women watching heard her murmur: “My child, Rebekah...!” She was childless, and whom she meant was not known. However, soon afterwards there was a form at the amulet-guarded door, and Estrella sat up, saying: “Rebekah, my child...” A young lady of twenty-two ran in and embraced her, saying: “I have been to Paris and Madrid with my father--just arrived, so flew to see you. We leave for London to-night”. “No: I shall keep you seven days. Tell Frankl _I_ say so. What jewels! You have grown into a rose of glory, the eyes are profounder and blacker, and that brow was made for high purpose. Tell me--have you a lover?” “No, mamma Estrella”. “Then, why the blush?”