The Old Wives' Tale
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About This Book
H.G. Wells described The Old Wives' Tale as "by far the finest long novel written in English and in the English fashion". He was, of course, speaking for his own generation, and a hundred years later the opinion may seem somewhat exaggerated. However, there is no doubt that The Old Wives' Tale is a superb novel of its kind, and it is still as readable and enjoyable as ever. First published in 1908, it tells the story of the Baines sisters--shy, retiring Constance and defiant, romantic Sophia--over the course of nearly half a century. Bennett traces the lives of the sisters from childhood in th...
Chapters (139)
- THE OLD WIVES’ TALE
- To W. W. K.
- PREFACE TO THIS EDITION
- ARNOLD BENNETT.
- BOOK I — MRS. BAINES
- CHAPTER I — THE SQUARE
- II
- III
- CHAPTER II — THE TOOTH
- II
- III
- CHAPTER III — A BATTLE
- I
- II
- III
- IV
- V
- CHAPTER IV — ELEPHANT
- I
- II
- III
- IV
- CHAPTER V — THE TRAVELLER
- I
- II
- III
- IV
- CHAPTER VI — ESCAPADE
- I
- II
- III
- IV
- CHAPTER VII — A DEFEAT
- I
- II
- III
- BOOK II — CONSTANCE
- CHAPTER I — REVOLUTION
- I
- II
- III
- IV
- CHAPTER II — CHRISTMAS AND THE FUTURE
- I
- II
- III
- IV
- CHAPTER III — CYRIL
- I
- II
- CHAPTER IV — CRIME
- I
- II
- III
- CHAPTER V — ANOTHER CRIME
- I
- II
- III
- IV
- VI
- CHAPTER VI — THE WIDOW
- I
- II
- III
- CHAPTER VII — BRICKS AND MORTAR
- I
- II
- III
- CHAPTER VIII — THE PROUDEST MOTHER
- I
- II
- III
- BOOK III — SOPHIA
- CHAPTER I — THE ELOPEMENT
- I
- II
- CHAPTER II — SUPPER
- I
- II
- CHAPTER III — AN AMBITION SATISFIED
- I
- II
- III
- IV
- CHAPTER IV — A CRISIS FOR GERALD
- I
- II
- III
- IV
- V
- CHAPTER V — FEVER
- I
- II
- III
- IV
- V
- CHAPTER VI — THE SIEGE
- I
- II
- III
- IV
- V
- CHAPTER VII — SUCCESS
- I
- II
- III
- BOOK IV — WHAT LIFE IS
- CHAPTER I — FRENSHAM’S
- I
- II
- III
- IV
- V
- “MY DARLING SOPHIA,
- “CONSTANCE POVEY.
- CHAPTER II — THE MEETING
- I
- II
- III
- CHAPTER III — TOWARDS HOTEL LIFE
- I
- II
- III
- “DEAR MOTHER,
- IV
- V
- VI
- CHAPTER IV — END OF SOPHIA
- I
- II
- III
- IV
- CHAPTER V — END OF CONSTANCE
- I
- II
- III
- IV
- V
- THE END
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