The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Romance of Two Worlds, by Marie Corelli

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Title: A Romance of Two Worlds

Author: Marie Corelli

Posting Date: August 1, 2009 [EBook #4394]
Release Date: August, 2003
First Posted: January 22, 2002

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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A Romance of Two Worlds

A NOVEL.

BY

MARIE CORELLI,

Author of "Thelma," "Ardath," "Vendetta," Etc.

CONTENTS

PROLOGUE
I. AN ARTIST'S STUDIO.
II. THE MYSTERIOUS POTION.
III. THREE VISIONS.
IV. A DANCE AND A PROMISE.
V. CELLINI'S STORY.
VI. THE HOTEL MARS AND ITS OWNER.
VII. ZARA AND PRINCE IVAN.
VIII. A SYMPHONY IN THE AIR.
IX. AN ELECTRIC SHOCK.
X. MY STRANGE DEPARTURE.
XI. A MINIATURE CREATION.
XII. SECRETS OF THE SUN AND MOON.
XIII. SOCIABLE CONVERSE.
XIV. THE ELECTRIC CREED.
XV. DEATH BY LIGHTNING.
XVI. A STRUGGLE FOR THE MASTERY.
XVII. CONCLUSION.
APPENDIX

A ROMANCE OF TWO WORLDS.

PROLOGUE.

We live in an age of universal inquiry, ergo of universal scepticism.
The prophecies of the poet, the dreams of the philosopher and
scientist, are being daily realized--things formerly considered mere
fairy-tales have become facts--yet, in spite of the marvels of learning
and science that are hourly accomplished among us, the attitude of
mankind is one of disbelief. "There is no God!" cries one theorist; "or
if there be one, _I_ can obtain no proof of His existence!" "There is
no Creator!" exclaims another. "The Universe is simply a rushing
together of atoms." "There can be no immortality," asserts a third. "We
are but dust, and to dust we shall return." "What is called by
idealists the SOUL," argues another, "is simply the vital principle
composed of heat and air, which escapes from the body at death, and
mingles again with its native element. A candle when lit emits flame;
blow out the light, the flame vanishes--where? Would it not be madnes