_These Charming People_ MICHAEL ARLEN _By_ MICHAEL ARLEN _These Charming People_ _The Green Hat_ “_Piracy_” _The Romantic Lady_ _The London Venture_ _These Charming People_ BEING A TAPESTRY OF THE FORTUNES, FOLLIES, ADVENTURES, GALLANTRIES AND GENERAL ACTIVITIES OF SHELMERDENE (THAT LOVELY LADY), LORD TARLYON, MR. MICHAEL WAGSTAFFE, MR. RALPH WYNDHAM TREVOR AND SOME OTHERS OF THEIR FRIENDS OF THE LIGHTER SORT: WRITTEN DOWN BY MR. RALPH WYNDHAM TREVOR AND ARRANGED BY _Michael Arlen_ [Illustration: colophon] _NEW YORK_ GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY _Copyright, 1924, By George H. Doran Company_ THESE CHARMING PEOPLE --B-- PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CONTENTS PAGE I: INTRODUCING A LADY OF NO IMPORTANCE AND A GENTLEMAN OF EVEN LESS 9 II: WHEN THE NIGHTINGALE SANG IN BERKELEY SQUARE 26 III: THE HUNTER AFTER WILD BEASTS 51 IV: THE MAN WITH THE BROKEN NOSE 63 V: THE LUCK OF CAPTAIN FORTUNE 91 VI: THE ANCIENT SIN 104 VII: THE CAVALIER OF THE STREETS 120 VIII: MAJOR CYPRESS GOES OFF THE DEEP END 145 IX: CONSUELO BROWN 165 X: THE IRREPROACHABLE CONDUCT OF A GENTLEMAN WHO ONCE REFUSED A KNIGHTHOOD 178 XI: SALUTE THE CAVALIER 202 XII: THE SHAMELESS BEHAVIOUR OF A LORD 226 XIII: THE LOQUACIOUS LADY OF LANSDOWNE PASSAGE 238 XIV: THE SMELL IN THE LIBRARY 247 XV: THE REAL REASON WHY SHELMERDENE WAS LATE FOR DINNER 283 THESE CHARMING PEOPLE I: INTRODUCING A LADY OF NO IMPORTANCE AND A GENTLEMAN OF EVEN LESS