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The Honorable Percival

by Alice Caldwell Hegan Rice (1870–1942)

  • Free to read
  • 2 hours to read
  • 17 chapters
  • Reading level: 7th grade

"The Honorable Percival" by Alice Caldwell Hegan Rice is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story introduces us to Percival Hascombe, a young English aristocrat who, after being jilted by his fiancée, embarks on a journey to America and then to Asia, seeking refuge and anonymity from societal expectations. The narrative explores themes of love, identity, and social class as Percival navigates new experiences on board a Pacific liner, encountering various characters who challenge his aloof demeanor. The opening of the novel sets the scene as Percival boards the Pacific liner in San Francisco, displaying a mix of ennui and self-importance. Despite his attempts at aloofness, he is soon drawn into the lively interactions and tumultuous emotions of the fellow passengers, especially a young American girl named Bobby Boynton. As he reflects on his past heartbreak, Percival's encounter with Bobby, who embodies youthful vitality and spontaneity, begins to alter his perspective on life and love. The stage is set for a transformative journey as Percival balances his aristocratic disposition with the vibrant world of the everyday people he meets aboard the ship.

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  • Man-woman relationships
  • Voyages and travels

Read the opening

Chapter I

A BLIGHTED BEING

The Honorable Percival Hascombe came aboard the Pacific liner about to sail from San Francisco, preceded by a fur coat, a gun-case, two pigskin bags, a hat-box, and a valet. He was tall and slender, and moved with an air of fastidious distinction. He wore a small mustache, a monocle, and an expression of unutterable ennui. His costume consisted of a smart tweed traveling-suit, with cap to match, white spats, and a pair of binoculars swung across his shoulders. In his eyes was the look, carefully maintained, of one who has sounded the depths of human tragedy.

Since his advent into the world twenty-eight years before, he had been made to feel but one responsibility. His elder brother, having persistently refused to provide himself with a wife and heir, the duty of perpetuating the family name fell upon him, Percival Hascombe, second son of the late Earl of Westenhanger, of Hascombe Hall, fifth in descent from the great Westenhanger whose marble effigy adorns the dullest and most respectable cathedral in southern England.

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Contents

  1. Front Matter
  2. Chapter I
  3. Chapter II
  4. Chapter III
  5. Chapter IV
  6. Chapter V
  7. Chapter VI
  8. Chapter VII
  9. Chapter VIII
  10. Chapter IX
  11. Chapter X
  12. Chapter XI
  13. Chapter XII
  14. Chapter XIII
  15. Chapter XIV
  16. Chapter XV
  17. Chapter XVI

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About this edition

This free edition of The Honorable Percival by Alice Caldwell Hegan Rice comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #15180, released 2005-02-26. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Novels.

Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).

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