Chapter I: Front Matter

_UNIFORM WITH THIS VOLUME_

SIR GEORGE TRESSADY. _Mrs. Humphry Ward._
THE FARM OF THE DAGGER. _Eden Phillpotts._
THE EXPENSIVE MISS DU CANE. _S. Macnaughtan._
LADY ROSE’S DAUGHTER. _Mrs. Humphry Ward._
THE PROFESSOR ON THE CASE. _Jacques Futrelle._
LOVE AND THE SOUL HUNTERS. _John O. Hobbes._
THE SECRET OF THE LEAGUE. _Ernest Bramah._
VALERIE UPTON. _Miss A. D. Sedgwick._
THE FIRST MEN IN THE MOON. _H. G. Wells._
KATHARINE FRENSHAM. _Beatrice Harraden._
THE WAR OF THE CAROLINAS. _Meredith Nicholson._
HISTORY OF DAVID GRIEVE. _Mrs. Humphry Ward._
ROMANCE. _Joseph Conrad._
THE PRIMROSE PATH. _Mrs. Oliphant._
KIPPS. _H. G. Wells._
MARRIAGE OF WILLIAM ASHE. _Mrs. Humphry Ward._
THOMPSON’S PROGRESS. _C. J. Cutcliffe Hyne._
CYNTHIA’S WAY. _Mrs. A. Sidgwick._
RAFFLES. _E. W. Hornung._
FRENCH NAN. _Agnes & Egerton Castle._
THE FOOD OF THE GODS. _H. G. Wells._
MARCELLA. _Mrs. Humphry Ward._
SPRINGTIME. _H. C. Bailey._
MOONFLEET. _J. Meade Falkner._
WHITE FANG. _Jack London._
LOVE AND MR. LEWISHAM. _H. G. Wells._
ROBERT ELSMERE. _Mrs. Humphry Ward._
THE BATTLE OF THE STRONG. _Sir G. Parker._
THE AMERICAN PRISONER. _Eden Phillpotts._
FORTUNE OF CHRISTINA M‘NAB. _S. Macnaughtan._
THE AMERICAN. _Henry James._
SELAH HARRISON. _S. Macnaughtan._
A LAME DOG’S DIARY. _S. Macnaughtan._

_And Many Other Equally Popular
Copyright Novels._

NELSON’S LIBRARY.

THE
PRINCESS
SOPHIA

E. F. BENSON

THOMAS NELSON AND
SONS]

TO
MY DEAR FRIEND
CRITIC, SISTER
I AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATE
THIS BOOK
E. F. BENSON

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTORY 5

I. THE GIRL IS MOTHER TO THE WOMAN 17

II. A FOOL COMES TO RHODOPÉ 33

III. MARRIAGE-BELLS AND SYSTEMS 50

IV. THE LAST DAYS OF PRINCE DEMETRIUS 65

V. ENTER THE CENTIPEDE 72

VI. THE NEW MEMBER 93

VII. THE PRINCESS’S CLUB 107

VIII. PLOTS AND COUNTER-PLOTS 135

IX. THE PRINCESS RETURNS 167

X. THE PRINCESS IS VERY MUCH THERE 184

XI. A FOOL LEAVES RHODOPÉ 200

XII. THE EDUCATION OF THE HEIR-APPARENT 209

XIII. THE PLAGUE-SPOT SPREADS 239

XIV. BANG! 257