
This etext was produced by David Widger <widger@cecomet.net>
BOOK 5. - XXVI. MRS. MEL MAKES A BED FOR HERSELF AND FAMILY XXVII. EXHIBITS ROSE'S GENERALSHIP; EVAN'S PERFORMANCE ON THE SECOND FIDDLE; AND THE WRETCHEDNESS OF THE COUNTESS XXVIII. TOM COGGLESBY'S PROPOSITION XXIX. PRELUDE TO AN ENGAGEMENT XXX. THE BATTLE OF THE BULL-DOGS. PART I. XXXI. THE BATTLE OF THE BULL-DOGS. PART II. - CHAPTER XXVI - MRS. MEL MAKES A BED FOR HERSELF AND FAMILY
Mrs. Mel is a keen‑eyed matriarch whose mornings begin with ledgers and gossip, and whose evenings are suddenly upended by a single, ominous letter. The note reveals that her son Evan—a self‑styled gentleman—has been masquerading as a lord at the opulent Beckley Court, courting a wealthy heiress while his true trade as a tailor remains hidden. As the household buzzes with speculation, Mrs. Mel’s sharp tongue and her faithful squire Dandy become the unlikely guardians of a secret that could unravel a marriage and shake a community’s expectations of class and propriety.
In the midst of witty repartee between aunt and niece, the story paints a vivid portrait of Victorian domestic life—full of hurried dictations, sly observations, and the ever‑present tension between ambition and honesty. Listeners are drawn into a world where a single misstep can launch a cascade of consequences, and the characters’ colorful personalities promise both humor and heartfelt reflection.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (156K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
Sep 1, 2003
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1828–1909
Known for sparkling wit, sharp psychological insight, and some of the most distinctive prose of the Victorian age, this English novelist and poet wrote books that reward slow, thoughtful reading. His best-known works include The Egoist and the sonnet sequence Modern Love.
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