THE WHEELS OF CHANCE; A BICYCLING IDYLL By H.G. Wells 1896 To MY DEAR MOTHER CONTENTS CHAPTER I. THE PRINCIPAL CHARACTER IN THE STORY CHAPTER II CHAPTER III CHAPTER IV. THE RIDING FORTH OF MR. HOOPDRIVER CHAPTER V. THE SHAMEFUL EPISODE OF THE YOUNG LADY IN GREY CHAPTER VI. ON THE ROAD TO RIPLEY CHAPTER VII. CHAPTER VIII. CHAPTER IX. HOW MR. HOOPDRIVER WAS HAUNTED CHAPTER X. THE IMAGININGS OF MR. HOOPDRIVER’S HEART CHAPTER XI. OMISSIONS CHAPTER XII. THE DREAMS OF MR. HOOPDRIVER CHAPTER XIII. HOW MR. HOOPDRIVER WENT TO HASLEMERE CHAPTER XIV. HOW MR. HOOPDRIVER REACHED MIDHURST CHAPTER XV. AN INTERLUDE CHAPTER XVI. OF THE ARTIFICIAL IN MAN, AND OF THE ZEITGEIST CHAPTER XVII. THE ENCOUNTER AT MIDHURST CHAPTER XVIII. CHAPTER XIX. CHAPTER XX. THE PURSUIT CHAPTER XXI. AT BOGNOR CHAPTER XXII. CHAPTER XXIII. CHAPTER XXIV. THE MOONLIGHT RIDE CHAPTER XXV. CHAPTER XXVI. THE SURBITON INTERLUDE CHAPTER XXVII. THE AWAKENING OF MR. HOOPDRIVER CHAPTER XXVIII. THE DEPARTURE FROM CHICHESTER CHAPTER XXIX. THE UNEXPECTED ANECDOTE OF THE LION CHAPTER XXX. THE RESCUE EXPEDITION CHAPTER XXXI. CHAPTER XXXII. MR. HOOPDRIVER, KNIGHT ERRANT CHAPTER XXXIII. THE ABASEMENT OF MR. HOOPDRIVER CHAPTER XXXIV. CHAPTER XXXV. CHAPTER XXXVI. CHAPTER XXXVII. IN THE NEW FOREST CHAPTER XXXVIII. AT THE RUFUS STONE CHAPTER XXXIX. CHAPTER XL. CHAPTER XLI. THE ENVOY I. THE PRINCIPAL CHARACTER IN THE STORY If you (presuming you are of the sex that does such things)—if you had gone into the Drapery Emporium—which is really only magnificent for shop—of Messrs. Antrobus & Co.—a perfectly fictitious “Co.,” by the bye—of Putney, on the 14th of August, 1895, had turned to the right-hand side, where the blocks of white linen and piles of blankets rise up to the rail from which the pink and blue prints depend, you might have been served by the central figure of this story that is now beginning. He would have come forward, bowing and swaying, he would have extended two hands with largish knuckles and enormous cuffs over the counter, and he would have asked you, protruding a pointed chin and without the slightest anticipation of pleasure in his manner, what he might have the pleasure of showing you. Under certain circumstances—as, for instance, hats, baby linen, gloves, silks, lace, or curtains—he would simply have bowed politely, and with a drooping expression, and making a kind of circular sweep, invited you to “step this way,” and so led you beyond his ken; but under other and happier conditions,—huckaback, blankets, dimity, cretonne, linen, calico, are cases in point,—he would have requested you to take a seat, emphasising the hospitality by leaning over the counter and gripping a chair back in a spasmodic manner, and so proceeded to obtain, unfold, and exhibit his goods for your consideration. Under which happier circumstances you might—if of an observing turn of mind and not too much of a housewife