THE SILVER POPPY _A NOVEL_ BY ARTHUR STRINGER NEW YORK D. APPLETON AND COMPANY MCMIII COPYRIGHT, 1903, BY D. APPLETON AND COMPANY _Published, August, 1903_ CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE VOICE IN THE NIGHT 1 II. THE SPIRIT OF THE CITY 18 III. AN INTERLUDE OF ENLIGHTENMENT 27 IV. THE WORLD AND THE WOMAN 33 V. BETWEEN BLOSSOM AND FRUIT 48 VI. THE TWO VOICES 58 VII. THE APRIL OF LOVE 65 VIII. LIFE'S IRON CROWN 80 IX. THE TWILIGHT OF THE GODDESS 86 X. BROKEN LINKS 93 XI. THE STONIER UPLANDS 103 XII. EROS THE RELUCTANT 111 XIII. THE FETTERED RELEASE 120 XIV. THE FIRE IN THE CLEARING 130 XV. THE MILL AND ITS GRIST 144 XVI. REINFORCEMENTS 157 XVII. INEFFECTUAL FLUTTERS 164 XVIII. THE FULNESS OF LIFE 170 XIX. WAS EVER POETESS THUS MADE? 182 XX. A POWER NOT HERSELF 188 XXI. THE SIGNS OF BLIGHT 192 XXII. THE BLOT ON THE 'SCUTCHEON 203 XXIII. TATTERED COLORS 212 XXIV. ROSES AND THORNS 224 XXV. TARNISHED GOLD 235 XXVI. AUTUMN SUNLIGHT 241 XXVII. THE SCARS OF SLAVERY 248 XXVIII. THE ALTAR OF EMINENCE 257 XXIX. DESINAT IN PISCEM, MULIER FORMOSA SUPERNE 269 XXX. THE WORLD AND THE MAN 282 THE SILVER POPPY CHAPTER I THE VOICE IN THE NIGHT From her dark towers she lightly threw To him three roses red; He spake no word, but pale he grew, And bowed his troubled head. JOHN HARTLEY, "The Broken Knight." To make your heart, you must first break your heart! "The Silver Poppy."