PHAROS, THE EGYPTIAN
A ROMANCE
BY GUY BOOTHBY
AUTHOR OF DOCTOR NIKOLA, THE LUST OF HATE, THE BEAUTIFUL WHITE DEVIL,ETC.
NEW YORK
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY
1899
Copyright, 1898, 1899,
By D. APPLETON AND COMPANY.
All rights reserved.
CONTENTS
PREFACE.
CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XVI.
CHAPTER XVII.
CHAPTER XVIII.
CHAPTER XIX.
CHAPTER XX.
CHAPTER XXI.
GUY BOOTHBY'S NOVELS.
PHAROS, THE EGYPTIAN.
PREFACE.
BEING A LETTER FROM SIR WILLIAM BETFORD, OF BAMPTON ST. MARY, INDORSETSHIRE,
TO GEORGE TREVELYAN, OF LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS, LONDON.
"My dear Trevelyan: Never in my life have I been placed in such anawkward, not to say invidious, position. I am, as you know, a plain man,fond of a plain life and plain speaking, and yet I am about to imperilthat reputation by communicating to you what I fancy you will considerthe most extraordinary and unbelievable intelligence you have everreceived in your life. For my own part I do not know what to think. Ihave puzzled over the matter until I am not in a position to judgefairly. You must, therefore, weigh the evidence, first for us both. Forpity's sake, however, do not decide hastily. In dubiis benigniorasemper sunt præferenda, as they used to say in our school days, must beour motto, and by it we must abide at any hazards. As far as I can see,we are confronted with one of the saddest and at the same time one ofthe most inexplicable cases ever yet recorded on paper. Reduced to itsproper factors it stands as follows: Either Forrester has gone mad anddreamed it all, or he is sane and has suffered as few others have donein this world. In either case he is deserving of our deepest pity. Inone way only are we fortunate. Knowing the man as we do, we are in aposition to estimate the value of the accusations he brings againsthimself. Of one thing I am convinced—a more honourable being does notwalk this earth. O