This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1913. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... OF EDWIN DKOOD, CHAPTER I. THE DAWN. An ancient English_Cathedral_Tower? How can the ancient English Cathedral tower he-here, ' The well-known massive/ rayi square tower of its old Cathedral? How can that he here uTIere is no spike of rusty iron in the air, between the eye and it, from any point of the real prospect. What is the spike that intervenes, and who has set it up? Maybe it is set up by the Sultan's orders for the impaling of a horde of Turkish robbers, one by one. It is so, for cymbals clash, and the Sultan goes by to his palace in long procession. Ten thousand scimitars flash in the sunlight, and thrice ten thousand dancing-girls strew flowers. Then, follow white elephants caparisoned in countless gorgeous colours, and infinite in number and attendants. Still the Cathedral Tower rises in tho background, where it cannot be, and still no writhing figure is on the grim spike. Stay Is the spike so low a thing as the rusty spike on the top of a post of an old bedstead that has tumbled all awry? Some vague period of drowsy laughter must be devoted to tho consideration of this possibility. Shaking from head to foot, the man whose scattered noTiKninngnpga has thus fantastically pieced itself together, at length rises, supports his trembling frame upon his arms, and looks around. He is in tho meanest and closest of small rooms. Through the ragged windowcurtain, the light of early day steals in from a miserable court. He lies, dressed, across a large unseemly bed, upon a bedstead that has indeed given way under the weight upon it. Lying, also dressed and also across tho bed, not longwise, are a Chinaman, a Lascar, and a B2 haggard woman. The two first are in a sleep or stupor; the last is blowing at a kind of pipe, to kindle it. And. as sho blows, and sha..