The Revolt of Man

It is now fourteen years since this book appeared anonymously. At first the story stood cold and shivering, disregarded by the world. Six weeks, however, after its production a highly appreciative review in one of the most important journals caused people to inquire after it. Since then it has gone through many editions.

Every one who has written stories knows the unaccountable difference there is between the ease and delight of writing some and the difficulties and troubles which attend the writing of others. The Revolt of Man was written during a certain summer holiday; day by day chapter by chapter, was read out, as it was finished, to two ladies. It is needless to say that their comments on the progress of events were often most valuable. Above all I may now acknowledge their advice as to the conclusion of the story. At first it ended in a real battle. 'Let the Revolt of Man be bloodless,' said my advisers. It is bloodless. The advice was excellent, and I followed it; and now, after fourteen years, I take this opportunity of thanking them.

W. B.

UNITED UNIVERSITY CLUB; December 1896.

CONTENTS

CHAP PAGE

I. IN PARK LANE 11

II. THE EARL OF CHESTER 33

III. THE CHANCELLOR 48

IV. THE GREAT DUCHESS 62

V. IN THE SEASON 75

VI. WOMAN'S ENGLAND 92

VII. ON THE TRUMPINGTON ROAD 119

VIII. THE BISHOP 135

IX. THE GREAT CONSPIRACY 150

X. THE FIRST SPARK 160

XI. A MARRIAGE MARRED 179

XII. IN THE CAMP AT CHESTER TOWERS 191

XIII. THE NIGHT BEFORE THE BATTLE 215

XIV. THE ARMY OF AVENGERS 228

CONCLUSION 241

Collins' 7^{d.} net Modern Fiction

(In Great Britain Only)

WITH FRONTISPIECE AND DESIGNED TITLE PAGE

EACH VOLUME HAS AN ATTRACTIVE COLOURED WRAPPER

1 The Great Refusal MAXWELL GRAY 3 The Brown Eyes of Mary MADAME ALBANESI 4 The Golden Butterfly BESANT AND RICE 6 A Weaver of Webs JOHN OXENHAM 7 Saints in Society MRS. BAILLIE-SAUNDERS 8 The Wreck of the Grosvenor W. CLARK RUSSELL 9 Comin' Thro' the Rye HELEN MATHERS 10 The Deemster HALL CAINE 11 The Happy Valley B. M. CROKER 13 New Arabian Nights R. L. STEVENSON 15 American Wives and English Husbands GERTRUDE ATHERTON 18 The Tempestuous Petticoat ROBERT BARR 19 A Ward of the Golden Gate BRET HARTE 21 Under the Greenwood Tree THOMAS HARDY 23 The Firm of Girdlestone A. CONAN DOYLE 25 The School for Saints JOHN OLIVER HOBBES 26 Ready-Money Mortiboy BESANT AND RICE 27 Nature's Comedian W. E. NORRIS 28 The Luck of the Fairfaxes KATHERINE TYNAN 29 Comethup TOM GALLON 30 A Sack of Shakings FRANK T. BULLEN 31 Red Spider S. BARING-GOULD 32 Pretty Polly Pennington MADAME ALBANESI 33 Genevra C. MARRIOTT 35 The Locum Tenens VICTOR L. WHITECHURCH 36 A Princess of Thule WILLIAM BLACK 37 Daireen F. FRANKFORT MOORE 39 A Waif of the Plains BRET HARTE 40 Terence B. M. CROKER 41 The Strange Adventures of a Phaeton WILLIAM BLACK 42 Brendle MARMADUKE PICKTHALL 43 Eve S. BARING-GOULD 44 How to be Happy though Married REV. E. J. HARDY 45 Macleod of Dare WILLIAM BLACK 46 Loaves and Fishes BERNARD CAPES 47 My Little Girl BESANT AND RICE 48 The Light of Scarthey EGERTON CASTLE 49 The Amazing Duke SIR WM. MAGNAY, BART. 50 Diana Harrington. B. M. CROKER 51 Sister Anne MADAME ALBANESI 52 A Gentleman of London MORICE GERARD 53 An English Girl in Paris CONSTANCE E. MAUD 54 Despair's Last Journey D. C. MURRAY 55 Running Water A. E. W. MASON 56 John Holdsworth--Chief Mate W. CLARK RUSSELL 57 The Ivory Gate SIR WALTER BESANT 58 The Tempting of Paul Chester ALICE AND CLAUDE ASKEW 59 A Royal Indiscretion RICHARD MARSH 60 The Cattle-Baron's Daughter HAROLD BINDLOSS 61 A Breach of Promise LADY TROUBRIDGE 62 Harum Scarum ESME STUART 63 The Journal of a Jealous Woman PERCY WHITE 64 The Fowler BEATRICE HARRADEN 65 Count Bunker J. STORER CLOUSTON 66 Robert Orange JOHN OLIVER HOBBES 67 The Parish Nurse MARY E. MANN 68 Eve and the Law ALICE AND CLAUDE ASKEW 69 The Path of a Star MRS EVERARD COTES (Sara Jeannette Duncan) 70 The Shadow of a Crime HALL CAINE 71 George V., Our Sailor King ROBERT HUDSON 72 My French Friends CONSTANCE E. MAUD 73 Pretty Miss Neville B. M. CROKER 74 Sicilian Lovers DOUGLAS SLADEN 75 Christine of the Hills MAX PEMBERTON 76 Grand Babylon Hotel ARNOLD BENNETT 77 A Prince of Lovers SIR WM. MAGNAY, BART. 78 The Whip Hand KEBLE HOWARD 79 The Suspicions of Ermengarde MAXWELL GRAY 80 The Column CHARLES MARRIOTT 81 Cynthia LEONARD MERRICK 82 Jennifer Pontefracte ALICE AND CLAUDE ASKEW 83 Molly Bawn MRS HUNGERFORD 84 A Sower of Wheat HAROLD BINDLOSS 85 2835 Mayfair FRANK RICHARDSON 86 Two Little Wooden Shoes OUIDA 87 A Bride from the Bush ERNEST W. HORNUNG