The Hand of Ethelberta: A Comedy in Chapters"Adventuress and opportunist, Ethelberta reinvents herself to disguise her humble origins, launching a brilliant career as a society poet in London with her family acting incognito as her servants. Turning the male-dominated literary world to her advantage, she happily exploits the attentions of four very different suitors. Will she bestow her hand upon the richest of them, or on the man she loves? Ethelberta Petherwin, alias Berta Chickerel, moves with easy grace between her multiple identities, cleverly managing a tissue of lies to aid her meteoric rise. In "The Hand of Ethelberta" (1876), Hardy drew on conventions of popular romances, illustrated weeklies, plays, fashion plates, and even his wife's diary in this comic story of a woman in control of her destiny."--Goodreads |
Contents
CHAPTER 29 | 1 |
CHAPTER 30 | 18 |
CHAPTER 32 | 56 |
CHAPTER 33 | 62 |
CHAPTER 35 | 92 |
CHAPTER 36 | 113 |
CHAPTER 37 | 124 |
CHAPTER 38 | 133 |
CHAPTER 40 | 172 |
CHAPTER 41 | 185 |
CHAPTER 42 | 197 |
CHAPTER 43 | 210 |
CHAPTER 44 | 230 |
CHAPTER 45 | 253 |
CHAPTER 46 | 273 |
CHAPTER 47 | 300 |
CHAPTER 39 | 144 |
SEQUEL | 315 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Anglebury appeared asked aunt balcony Berta better brother called carriage castle Cherbourg Chickerel Christopher Conger eel Cornelia Corvsgate cottage course daughter dogcart Doncastle Doncastle's door drive Enckworth Court entered Ethelber Ethelberta eyes face father further gate gentleman gone hand heard hee-hee horses hostler hour journey Julian knew Knollsea Lady Mountclere Ladywell leave living looked Lord Mountclere married meet Melchester Menlove mind minutes morning Mountclere's Neigh never night once park passed person Petherwin Picotee Picotee's reached replied road Rouen round Sandbourne schooner seemed side sister Sol's soon Speedwell spot steamboat steamer steps stood suppose tell there's thing Thomas Hardy thought Tipman to-day to-morrow told town trees turned valet viscount voice wait walked walls wedding Wessex whispered wind window wish woman words yacht young