_ This somewhat frivolous narrative was produced as an interlude between stories of a more sober design, and it was given the sub-title of a comedy to indicate--though not quite accurately--the aim of the performance. A high degree of probability was not attempted in the arrangement of the incidents, and there was expected of the reader a certain lightness of mood, which should inform him with a good-natured willingness to accept the production in the spirit in which it was offered. The characters themselves, however, were meant to be consistent and human.
       On its first appearance the novel suffered, perhaps deservedly, for what was involved in these intentions--for its quality of unexpectedness in particular--that unforgivable sin in the critic's sight--the immediate precursor of 'Ethelberta' having been a purely rural tale. Moreover, in its choice of medium, and line of perspective, it undertook a delicate task: to excite interest in a drama--if such a dignified word may be used in the connection--wherein servants were as important as, or more important than, their masters; wherein the drawing-room was sketched in many cases from the point of view of the servants' hall. Such a reversal of the social foreground has, perhaps, since grown more welcome, and readers even of the finer crusted kind may now be disposed to pardon a writer for presenting the sons and daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Chickerel as beings who come within the scope of a congenial regard.
       T. H.
       December 1895. _

Preface
Chapter 1. A Street In Anglebury--A Heath Near It--Inside The 'red Lion' Inn
Chapter 2. Christopher's House--Sandbourne Town--Sandbourne Moor
Chapter 3. Sandbourne Moor (continued)
Chapter 4. Sandbourne Pier--Road To Wyndway--Ball-Room In Wyndway House
Chapter 5. At The Window--The Road Home
Chapter 6. The Shore By Wyndway
Chapter 7. The Dining-Room Of A Town House--The Butler's Pantry
Chapter 8. Christopher's Lodgings--The Grounds About Rookington
Chapter 9. A Lady's Drawing-Rooms--Ethelberta's Dressing-Room
Chapter 10. Lady Petherwin's House
Chapter 11. Sandbourne And Its Neighbourhood--Some London Streets
Chapter 12. Arrowthorne Park And Lodge
Chapter 13. The Lodge (continued)--The Copse Behind
Chapter 14. A Turnpike Road
Chapter 15. An Inner Room At The Lodge
Chapter 16. A Large Public Hall
Chapter 17. Ethelberta's House
Chapter 18. Near Sandbourne--London Streets--Ethelberta's
Chapter 19. Ethelberta's Drawing-Room
Chapter 20. The Neighbourhood Of The Hall--The Road Home
Chapter 21. A Street--Neigh's Rooms--Christopher's Rooms
Chapter 22. Ethelberta's House
Chapter 23. Ethelberta's House (continued)
Chapter 24. Ethelberta's House (continued)--The British Museum
Chapter 25. The Royal Academy--The Farnfield Estate
Chapter 26. Ethelberta's Drawing-Room
Chapter 27. Mrs. Belmaine's--Cripplegate Church
Chapter 28. Ethelberta's--Mr. Chickerel's Room
Chapter 29. Ethelberta's Dressing-Room--Mr. Doncastle's House
Chapter 30. On The Housetop
Chapter 31. Knollsea--A Lofty Down--A Ruined Castle
Chapter 32. A Room In Enckworth Court
Chapter 33. The English Channel--Normandy
Chapter 34. The Hotel Beau Sejour And Spots Near It
Chapter 35. The Hotel (continued), And The Quay In Front
Chapter 36. The House In Town
Chapter 37. Knollsea--An Ornamental Villa
Chapter 38. Enckworth Court
Chapter 39. Knollsea--Melchester
Chapter 40. Melchester (continued)
Chapter 41. Workshops--An Inn--The Street
Chapter 42. The Doncastles' Residence, And Outside The Same
Chapter 43. The Railway--The Sea--The Shore Beyond
Chapter 44. Sandbourne--A Lonely Heath--The 'red Lion'--The Highway
Chapter 45. Knollsea--The Road Thence--Enckworth
Chapter 46. Enckworth (continued)--The Anglebury Highway
Chapter 47. Enckworth And Its Precincts--Melchester
Sequel. Anglebury--Enckworth--Sandbourne