Alice Lorraine: A Tale of the South Downs

								




                            ALICE LORRAINE:

                     A TALE OF THE SOUTH DOWNS.



                                  BY

                     RICHARD DODDRIDGE BLACKMORE,

           AUTHOR OF “THE MAID OF SKER,” “LORNA DOONE,” ETC.



                οὕτως ἔχει σοι ταῦτα, καὶ δείξεις τάχα,

                εἴτ’ εὐγενὴς πέφυκας, εἴτ’ ἐσθλῶν κακή.

                                                    SOPH. Ant.



                      NEW AND CHEAPER EDITION.



                                LONDON:

                    SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & COMPANY,

                              LIMITED,

                         St. Dunstan’s House,

                    FETTER LANE, FLEET STREET, E.C.



                                 1893.



                                LONDON:

             PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED,

                  STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS.



                                  To

                  PROFESSOR OWEN, C.B., F.R.S., &c.,

                     WITH THE WRITER’S GRATITUDE,

                   FOR WORDS OF TRUE ENCOURAGEMENT,

                      AND MANY ACTS OF KINDNESS,

                               This Work

                      MOST HEARTILY IS DEDICATED



                            April, 1875.

CONTENTS.

     CHAPTER                                       PAGE

          I.--ALL IN THE DOWNS                        1

         II.--COOMBE LORRAINE                         3

        III.--LINEAGE AND LINEAMENTS                  5

         IV.--FATHER AND FAVOURITE                    7

          V.--THE LEGEND OF THE ASTROLOGER           11

         VI.--THE LEGEND CONTINUED                   14

        VII.--THE LEGEND CONCLUDED                   17

       VIII.--ASTROLOGICAL FORECAST                  20

         IX.--THE LEGACY OF THE ASTROLOGER           24

          X.--A BOY AND A DONKEY                     27

         XI.--CHAMBER PRACTICE                       35

        XII.--WITH THE COSTERMONGERS                 45

       XIII.--TO THE CHERRY-ORCHARDS                 49

        XIV.--BEAUTIES OF THE COUNTRY                55

         XV.--OH, RUDDIER THAN THE CHERRY!           59

        XVI.--OH, SWEETER THAN THE BERRY!            66

       XVII.--VERY SHY THINGS                        72

      XVIII.--THE KEY OF THE GATE                    78

        XIX.--FOUR YOUNG LADIES                      84

         XX.--A RECTOR OF THE OLDEN STYLE            92

        XXI.--A NOTABLE LADY                         96

       XXII.--A MALIGNANT CASE                      100

      XXIII.--THE BAITER BAITED                     105

       XXIV.--A FATHERLY SUGGESTION                 109

        XXV.--THE WELL OF THE SIBYL                 112

       XXVI.--AN OPPORTUNE ENVOY                    117

      XXVII.--A GOOD PARSON’S HOLIDAY               121