Transcriber's Note. A list of the changes made can be found at the end of the book. Formatting and special characters are indicated as follows: _italic_ _The Romantic Lady_ MICHAEL ARLEN _By_ MICHAEL ARLEN _These Charming People_ _The Green Hat_ _"Piracy"_ _The London Venture_ _The Romantic Lady_ _The Romantic Lady_ _by Michael Arlen_ [Illustration] _NEW YORK_ GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY _Copyright, 1921, By George H. Doran Company_ [Illustration] THE ROMANTIC LADY -- B -- PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA _To_ WALTER PAYNE, Esq. "A VERY ABLE MAN" CONTENTS PAGE I: THE ROMANTIC LADY 11 II: FAY RICHMOND 51 III: CONSUELO 111 IV: THE ROMANCE OF IRIS POOLE 141 I: THE ROMANTIC LADY THE ROMANTIC LADY I: THE ROMANTIC LADY NOËL ANSON and I had been great friends in our first youthful days, but our lives and ambitions had led us so contrarily that we had not seen each other for more than six years when, on the night two weeks ago, we happened to meet at the Club. We had both, of course, so much to say that, as often happens, we babbled on quite inartistically, spoiling many a good story in the gay, breathless exchange of reminiscence and experience; from all of which, however, clearly loomed out these great cardinal facts of our lives, that we had both married; my wife, who was a perfect woman, I explained, I had had to leave behind in New Zealand to take care of her old father; while his wife, who was also a perfect woman, he chivalrously insisted, had thought fit to divorce poor Noël some six months before. But there was one story, anyway, which Noël Anson did not hurriedly spoil. He kept it long inside him--until that hour after ten when our corner of the smoking-room was entirely our own, and until he safely knew that I had talked enough to be able now to remain comfortably silent and attentive. Dear Noël, he dearly loved to tell a story! "You are the very first person to hear this," he began untruthfully; and the calm grey eyes of my friend Noël Anson merged into the luxurious stare with which the raconteur hypnotically fixes his prey all the world over. Even thus must the gentle Marlow have transfixed his hearers as he led them inexorably through the labyrinth of Lord Jim's career, and through many another such intricacy of Conradian imagination.