The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Beloved Vagabond, by William J. Locke

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Title: The Beloved Vagabond

Author: William J. Locke

Release Date: April 4, 2009 [EBook #28489]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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THE BELOVED VAGABOND

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM J. LOCKE

IDOLS
SEPTIMUS
DERELICTS
THE USURPER
WHERE LOVE IS
THE WHITE DOVE
SIMON THE JESTER
A STUDY IN SHADOWS
THE BELOVED VAGABOND
AT THE GATE OF SAMARIA
THE MORALS OF MARCUS ORDEYNE
THE DEMAGOGUE AND LADY PHAYRE

The Beloved Vagabond

By William J. Locke

Author of

"Septimus," "Idols," Etc.

[Illustration]

A. L. BURT COMPANY
Publishers New York

Copyright, 1905

BY JOHN LANE
Copyright, 1900

BY JOHN LANE COMPANY

SET UP, ELECTROTYPED AND PRINTED BY
THE PUBLISHERS PRINTING CO., NEW YORK

THE BELOVED VAGABOND

CHAPTER I

THIS is not a story about myself. Like Canning's organ-grinder I have
none to tell. It is the story of Paragot, the beloved vagabond--please
pronounce his name French-fashion--and if I obtrude myself on your
notice it is because I was so much involved in the medley of farce and
tragedy which made up some years of his life, that I don't know how to
tell the story otherwise. To Paragot I owe everything. He is at once my
benefactor, my venerated master, my beloved friend, my creator. Clay in
his hands, he moulded me according to his caprice, and inspired me with
the breath of life. My existence is drenched with the colour of Paragot.
I lay claim to no personality of my own, and any _obiter dicta_ that may
fall from my pen in the course of the ensuing narrative are but
reflections of Paragot's philosophy. Men have spoken evil of him. He
snapped his fingers at calumny, but I winced, never having reached th