Chapter I: Front Matter

THE CHANGELING

NOVELS BY SIR WALTER BESANT & JAMES RICE.

Crown 8vo., cloth extra, 3s. 6d. each; post 8vo., boards, 2s. each; cloth, 2s. 6d. each.

READY MONEY MORTIBOY. BY CELIA'S ARBOUR. MY LITTLE GIRL. THE CHAPLAIN OF THE FLEET. WITH HARP AND CROWN. THE SEAMY SIDE. THIS SON OF VULCAN. THE CASE OF MR. LUCRAFT. THE GOLDEN BUTTERFLY. 'TWAS IN TRAFALGAR'S BAY. THE MONKS OF THELEMA. THE TEN YEARS' TENANT.

[asterism] There is also a LIBRARY EDITION of the above Twelve Volumes, handsomely set in new type on a large crown 8vo. page, and bound in cloth extra, 6s. each; and POPULAR EDITIONS of THE GOLDEN BUTTERFLY, and of ALL SORTS AND CONDITIONS OF MEN, medium 8vo., 6d. each; cloth, 1s. each.

NOVELS BY SIR WALTER BESANT.

Crown 8vo., cloth extra, 3s. 6d. each; post 8vo., boards, 2s. each; cloth, 2s. 6d. each.

ALL SORTS AND CONDITIONS OF MEN. 12 Illusts. by BARNARD. THE CAPTAINS' ROOM. With Frontispiece by E. J. WHEELER. ALL IN A GARDEN FAIR. With 6 Illustrations by HARRY FURNISS. DOROTHY FORSTER. With Frontispiece by CHARLES GREEN. UNCLE JACK, and other Stories. CHILDREN OF GIBEON. THE WORLD WENT VERY WELL THEN. 12 Illusts. by FORESTIER. HERR PAULUS: His Rise, his Greatness, and his Fall. THE BELL OF ST. PAUL'S. FOR FAITH AND FREEDOM. Illusts. by FORESTIER and WADDY. TO CALL HER MINE. With 9 Illustrations by A. FORESTIER. THE HOLY ROSE. With Frontispiece by F. BARNARD. ARMOREL OF LYONESSE. With 12 Illustrations by F. BARNARD. ST. KATHERINE'S BY THE TOWER. With 12 Illusts. by C. GREEN. VERBENA CAMELLIA STEPHANOTIS. Frontis. by GORDON BROWN. THE IVORY GATE. THE REBEL QUEEN. BEYOND THE DREAMS OF AVARICE. 12 Illustrations by HYDE. IN DEACON'S ORDERS. With Frontispiece by A. FORESTIER. THE REVOLT OF MAN. THE MASTER CRAFTSMAN. THE CITY OF REFUGE.

Crown 8vo., cloth, 3s. 6d. each.

A FOUNTAIN SEALED. With Frontispiece by H. G. BURGESS. THE CHANGELING.

THE CHARM, and other Drawing-room Plays. By SIR
WALTER BESANT and WALTER H. POLLOCK. With
50 Illustrations by CHRIS HAMMOND and JULE
GOODMAN. Crown 8vo., cloth gilt, gilt edges, 6s.; blue
cloth, plain edges, 3s. 6d.

FIFTY YEARS AGO. With 144 Illustrations. Crown 8vo., cloth,
5s.

THE EULOGY OF RICHARD JEFFERIES. Portrait. Cr. 8vo, cloth,
6s.

LONDON. With 125 Illustrations. Demy 8vo., cloth extra, 7s.
6d.

WESTMINSTER. With Etched Frontispiece by F. S.
WALKER, R.E., and 130 Illustrations by WILLIAM
PATTEN, etc. Demy 8vo., cloth, 7s. 6d.

SOUTH LONDON. With Etched Frontispiece by F. S.
WALKER, R.E., and 118 Illustrations. Demy 8vo., cloth,
gilt top, 18s.

SIR RICHARD WHITTINGTON. Frontispiece. Cr. 8vo., linen, 3s.
6d.

GASPARD DE COLIGNY. With a Portrait. Crown 8vo., art linen,
3s. 6d.

LONDON: CHATTO & WINDUS, 111 ST. MARTIN'S LANE, W.C.

THE CHANGELING

BY

WALTER BESANT

AUTHOR OF "ALL SORTS AND CONDITIONS OF MEN," "A FOUNTAIN SEALED," ETC.

A NEW EDITION

LONDON CHATTO & WINDUS 1899

PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, LONDON AND BECCLES.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE

I. WAS IT SUBSTITUTION? 1

II. THE ONLY WITNESS GONE 15

III. THE THREE COUSINS 23

IV. THE CONSULTING-ROOM 46

V. GUEST NIGHT 57

VI. THE OLD LOVER 73

VII. THE MASTER OF THE SITUATION 84

VIII. THE COUSINS 92

IX. ONE MORE 110

X. COUSIN ALFRED'S SECRET 116

XI. THE DOCTOR'S DINNER 126

XII. THE OTHER CHILD OF DESERTION 143

XIII. A MIDNIGHT WALK 157

XIV. THE FIRST MOVE 169

XV. TWO JUMPS AND A CONCLUSION 185

XVI. A WRETCH 199

XVII. THE SECOND BLOW 210

XVIII. A GRACIOUS LADY 222

XIX. A CABINET COUNCIL 241

XX. JOHN HAVERIL CLEARS UP THINGS 253

XXI. "TO BE OFF WITH THE OLD LOVE" 265

XXII. THE CLAN AGAIN 276

XXIII. ONE MORE ATTEMPT 290

XXIV. A HORRID NIGHT 300

XXV. THE FIRST MOTHER 313

XXVI. THE SECOND MOTHER 322

CHAPTER THE LAST. FORGIVENESS 336

THE CHANGELING.