THE WHEEL OF LIFE

CONTENTS


PART I. Impulse

CHAPTER
I. In Which the Romantic Hero is Conspicuous by His Absence
II. Treats of an Eccentric Family
III. Apologises for an Old-fashioned Atmosphere
IV. Ushers in the Modern Spirit
V. In Which a Young Man Dreams Dreams
VI. Shows That Mr. Worldly-Wise-Man May Belong to Either Sex
VII. The Irresistible Force
VIII. Proves That a Poor Lover May Make an Excellent Friend
IX. Of Masques and Mummeries
X. Shows the Hero to Be Lacking in Heroic Qualities
XI. In Which a Lie Is the Better Part of Truth


PART II. Illusion

I. Of Pleasure as the Chief End of Man
II. An Advance and a Retreat
III. The Moth and the Flame
IV. Treats of the Attraction of Opposites
V. Shows the Dangers as Well as the Pleasures of the Chase
VI. The Finer Vision
VII. In Which Failure Is Crowned By Failure
VIII. "The Small Old Path"
IX. The Triumph of the Ego
X. In Which Adams Comes Into His Inheritance
XI. On the Wings of Life


PART III. Disenchantment

I. A Disconsolate Lover and a Pair of Blue Eyes
II. The Deification of Clay
III. The Greatest of These
IV. Adams Watches in the Night and Sees the Dawn
V. Treats of the Poverty of Riches
VI. The Feet of the God
VII. In Which Kemper Is Puzzled
VIII. Shows That Love Without Wisdom Is Folly
IX. Of the Fear in Love
X. The End of the Path


PART IV. Reconciliation

I. The Secret Chambers
II. In Which Laura Enters the Valley of Humiliation
III. Proves a Great City to Be a Great Solitude
IV. Shows That True Love Is True Service
V. Between Laura and Gerty
VI. Renewal





PART I


IMPULSE




CHAPTER I

IN WHICH THE ROMANTIC HERO IS CONSPICUOUS BY HIS ABSENCE


As the light fell on her face Gerty Bridewell awoke, stifled a yawn with
her pillow, and remembered that she had been very unhappy when she went
to bed. That was only six hours ago, and yet she felt now that her
unhappiness and the object of it, which was her husband, were of less
disturbing importance to her than the fact that she must get up and
stand for three minutes under the shower bath in her dressing-room. With
a sigh she pressed the pillow more firmly under her cheek, and lay
looking a little wistfully at her maid, who, having drawn back the
curtains at the window, stood now regarding her with the discreet and
confidential smile which drew from her a protesting frown of irritation.

"Well, I can't get up until I've had my coffee