Sinister Street, vol. 2   By: Compton MacKenzie (1883-1972)

BY

COMPTON MACKENZIE

AUTHOR OF "CARNIVAL," "YOUTH'S ENCOUNTER," ETC.

NEW YORK

D. APPLETON AND COMPANY

1919

COPYRIGHT, 1914, BY D. APPLETON AND COMPANY

CONTENTS

BOOK ONE

DREAMING SPIRES

CHAPTER PAGE

I. THE FIRST DAY 3

II. THE FIRST WEEK 32

III. THE FIRST TERM 47

IV. CHEYNE WALK 63

V. YOUTH'S DOMINATION 84

VI. GRAY AND BLUE 110

VII. VENNER'S 143

VIII. THE OXFORD LOOKING GLASS 165

IX. THE LESSON OF SPAIN 183

X. STELLA IN OXFORD 209

XI. SYMPATHY 225

XII. 202 HIGH 245

XIII. PLASHERS MEAD 269

XIV. 99 ST. GILES 288

XV. THE LAST TERM 308

XVI. THE LAST WEEK 319

XVII. THE LAST DAY 333

BOOK TWO

ROMANTIC EDUCATION

CHAPTER PAGE

I. OSTIA DITIS 349

II. NEPTUNE CRESCENT 371

III. THE CAFÉ D'ORANGE 401

IV. LEPPARD STREET 427

V. THE INNERMOST CIRCLE 481

VI. TINDERBOX LANE 496

VII. THE GATE OF IVORY 552

VIII. SEEDS OF POMEGRANATE 583

IX. THE GATE OF HORN 602

X. THE OLD WORLD 652

EPILOGICAL LETTER TO JOHN NICOLAS MAVROGORADATO 655

BOOK ONE

DREAMING SPIRES

Bright memories of young poetic pleasure In free companionship, the loving stress Of all life beauty, lull'd in studious leisure, When every Muse was jocund with excess Of fine delight and tremulous happiness; The breath of an indolent unbridled June, When delicate thought fell from the dreamy moon: But now strange care, sorrow, and grief oppress.

ROBERT BRIDGES.

CHAPTER I

THE FIRST DAY

Michael felt glad to think he would start the adventure of Oxford from Paddington. The simplicity of that railway station might faintly mitigate alarms which no amount of previous deliberation could entirely disperse. He remembered how once he had lightly seen off a Cambridge friend from Liverpool Street and, looking back at the suburban tumult of the Great Eastern Railway, he was grateful for the simplicity of Paddington.

Michael had been careful that all his heavy luggage should be sent in advance; and he had shown himself gravely exacting toward Alan in this matter of luggage, writing several times to remind him of his promise not to appear on the platform with more than a portmanteau of moderate size and a normal kit bag. Michael hoped this precaution would prevent at any rate the porters from commenting upon the freshness of him and his friend.

"Oxford train?" inquired a porter, as the hansom pulled up. Michael nodded, and made up his mind to show his esteem when he tipped this promethean.

"Third class?" the porter went on. Michael mentally doubled the tip, for he had neglected to assure himself beforehand about the etiquette of class, and nothing could have suited so well his self consciousness as this information casually yielded.

"Let me see, you didn't have any golf clubs, did you, sir?" asked the porter.

Michael shook his head regretfully, for as he looked hurriedly up and down the platform in search of Alan, he perceived golf clubs everywhere, and when at last he saw him, actually even he had a golf bag slung over his shoulder.

"I never knew you played golf," said Michael indignantly.

"I don't. These are the governor's. He's given up playing," Alan explained.

"Are you going to play?" Michael pursued. He was feeling rather envious of the appearance of these veteran implements.

"I may have a shot," Alan admitted.