A RENT IN A CLOUD
By Charles Lever
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I. THE WHITEHORSE AT COBLENTZ
CHAPTER II. THEPASSENGERS ON THE STEAMBOAT
CHAPTERIII. FELLOW-TRAVELLERS’ LIFE
CHAPTER IV. THE “LAGO D’ORTA.”
CHAPTER V. OLDMEMORIES
CHAPTER VI. SOPHY’SLETTER
CHAPTER VII. DISSENSION
CHAPTER VIII. GROWINGDARKER
CHAPTER IX. ONTHE ROAD
CHAPTER X. ADAYBREAK BESIDE THE RHINE
CHAPTERXI. THE LIFE AT THE VILLA
CHAPTER XII. DARKER AND DARKER
CHAPTER XIII. AGAINTO MILAN
CHAPTER XIV. THELAST WALK IN THE GARDEN
CHAPTER XV. SISTERS’ CONFIDENCES
CHAPTER XVI. A LOVERS’ QUARREL
CHAPTER XVII. PARTING SORROWS
CHAPTER XVIII. TIDINGSFROM BENGAL
CHAPTER XIX. ASHOCK
CHAPTER XX. AGAINAT ORTA
CHAPTER XXI. THE RETURN
CHAPTER XXII. ALETTER OF CONFESSIONS
CHAPTER XXIII. A STORM
CHAPTERXXIV. THE LAST AND THE SHORTEST
CHAPTER I. THE WHITE HORSE AT COBLENTZ
OUT of a window of the Weissen Ross, at Coblentz, looking upon the rapidRhine, over whose circling eddies a rich sunset shed a golden tint, twoyoung Englishmen lounged and smoked their cigars; rarely speaking, and, toall seeming, wearing that air of boredom which, strangely enough, wouldappear peculiar to a very enjoyable time of life. They were acquaintancesof only a few days. They had met on an Antwerp steamer—rejoined eachother in a picture-gallery—chanced to be side by side at a tabled’hôte at Brussels, and, at last, drifted into one of those intimacieswhich, to very young men, represents friendship. They agreed they wouldtravel together, all the more readily that neither cared very much in whatdirection. “As for me,” said Calvert, “it doesn’t much signify where Ipass the interval; but, in October, I must return to India and join myregiment.”
“And I,” said Loyd, “about the same time must be in England. I have justbeen called to the bar.”
“Slow work that must be, I take it.”
“Do you like soldiering?” asked Loyd, in a low quiet voice.
“Hat