
Chapter I: A Face……………………………………….11 Chapter II: Ida Mayhew…………………………………..22 Chapter III: An Artist's Freak……………………………35 Chapter IV: A Parthian Arrow……………………………..42 Chapter V: Spite………………………………………..51 Chapter VI: Reckless Words and Deeds………………………60 Chapter VII: Another Feminine Problem……………………..71 Chapter VIII: Glimpses of Tragedy…………………………85 Chapter IX: Unexpectedly Thrown Together…………………..96 Chapter X: Phrases too Suggestive………………………..108 Chapter XI: A "Tableau Vivant"…………………………..118 Chapter XII: Miss Mayhew is Puzzled………………………126 Chapter XIII: Nature's Broken Promise…………………….137 Chapter XIV: A Revelation……………………………….145 Chapter XV: Contrasts…………………………………..159 Chapter XVI: Out Among Shadows…………………………..172 Chapter XVII: New Forces Developing………………………184 Chapter XVIII: Love Put to Work………………………….195 Chapter XIX: Man's Highest Honor…………………………203 Chapter XX: A Wretched Secret that Must be Kept……………209 Chapter XXI: A Deliberate Wooer………………………….216 Chapter XXII: A Vain Wish……………………………….225 Chapter XXIII: Jennie Burton's Remedies…………………..232 Chapter XXIV: A Hateful, Wretched Life……………………239 Chapter XXV: Half-Truths………………………………..246 Chapter XXVI: Sunday Table-Talk………………………….251 Chapter XXVII: A Family Group……………………………262 Chapter XXVIII: Rather Volcanic………………………….268 Chapter XXIX: Evil Lives Cast Dark Shadows………………..278 Chapter XXX: The Deliberate Wooer Speaks First…………….284 Chapter XXXI: An Emblem…………………………………293 Chapter XXXII: The Dangers of Despair…………………….303 Chapter XXXIII: "Hope Dies Hard"…………………………311 Chapter XXXIV: Puzzled………………………………….324 Chapter XXXV: Desperately Wounded………………………..335 Chapter XXXVI: Temptation's Voice………………………..350 Chapter XXXVII: Voices of Nature…………………………360 Chapter XXXVIII: A Good Man Speaks……………………….369 Chapter XXXIX: Van Berg's Escape…………………………387 Chapter XL: Van Berg's Conclusions……………………….397 Chapter XLI: The Protestant Confessional………………….403 Chapter XLII: The Corner-Stone of Character……………….424 Chapter XLIII: A "Heavenly Mystery"………………………435 Chapter XLIV: "The Garden of Eden"……………………….443 Chapter XLV: Problems Beyond Art…………………………470 Chapter XLVI: A Resolute Philosopher……………………..486 Chapter XLVII: The Concert Garden Again…………………..500 Chapter XLVIII: Ida's Temptation…………………………518 Chapter XLIX: The Blind God……………………………..538 Chapter L: Swept Away…………………………………..555 Chapter LI: From Deep Experience…………………………569 Chapter LII: An Illumined Face…………………………..589 Chapter LIII: A Night's Vigil……………………………601 Chapter LIV: Life and Trust……………………………..615 - Chapter 1. A Face.
Chapter II. Ida Mayhew.
Chapter III. An Artist's Freak.
Chapter IV. A Parthian Arrow.
Chapter V. Spite.
Chapter VI. Reckless Words and Deeds.
Chapter VII. Another Feminine Problem.
Chapter VIII. Glimpses of Tragedy.
Chapter IX. Unexpectedly Thrown Together.
Chapter X. Phrases too Suggestive.
A young artist works late into the evening, the fading light catching the bold lines of his canvas as he strives to capture a mysterious female figure. Broad‑shouldered and intensely focused, he pauses only when a familiar knock interrupts his concentration, revealing his long‑time companion, Ik Stanton, whose teasing remarks betray a deep, if sometimes exasperated, friendship.
Their banter swings between playful ribbing and earnest reflection, hinting at the restless creative drive that fuels the painter’s life. As they discuss the timeless allure of the muse—a woman whose presence feels as ancient as myth—the conversation subtly uncovers underlying tensions between admiration, rivalry, and the yearning for something beyond the studio walls. Listeners are drawn into a world where art, intellect, and personal longing intersect, setting the stage for the emotional and artistic challenges that lie ahead.
Language
en
Duration
~15 hours (914K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2001-02-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1838–1888
Best known for blending warmhearted fiction with practical advice about country life, this 19th-century American writer reached a wide audience with novels that were both moral and deeply readable. Before turning fully to literature, he also served as a Presbyterian minister and a Civil War chaplain.
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by Edward Payson Roe

by Edward Payson Roe

by Edward Payson Roe

by Edward Payson Roe

by Edward Payson Roe

by Edward Payson Roe

by Edward Payson Roe

by Edward Payson Roe