The Eagles Shadow

The Eagle's Shadow

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Title: The Eagle's Shadow
Author: James Branch Cabell
Release Date: January 31, 2004 [EBook #10882]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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[Illustration: "Margaret"]
THE
EAGLE'S SHADOW

By
JAMES BRANCH CABELL
1904
To
Martha Louise Branch
_In trust that the enterprise may be judged less by the merits of its
factor than by those of its patron_

CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
XI.

XII.
XIII.
XIV.
XV.
XVI.
XVII.
XVIII.
XIX.
XX.
XXI.
XXII.
XXIII.
XXIV.
XXV.
XXVI.
XXVII.
XXVIII.
XXIX.
XXX.
XXXI.

XXXII.
XXXIII.

THE CHARACTERS
Colonel Thomas Hugonin, formerly in the service of Her Majesty the
Empress of India, Margaret Hugonin's father.
Frederick R. Woods, the founder of Selwoode, Margaret's uncle by
marriage.
Billy Woods, his nephew, Margaret's quondam fiancé.
Hugh Van Orden, a rather young young man, Margaret's adorer.
Martin Jeal, M.D., of Fairhaven, Margaret's family physician.
Cock-Eye Flinks, a gentleman of leisure, Margaret's chance
acquaintance.
Petheridge Jukesbury, president of the Society for the Suppression of
Nicotine and the Nude, Margaret's almoner in furthering the cause of
education and temperance.
Felix Kennaston, a minor poet, Margaret's almoner in furthering the
cause of literature and art.
Sarah Ellen Haggage, Madame President of the Ladies' League for the
Edification of the Impecunious, Margaret's almoner in furthering the
cause of charity and philanthropy. Kathleen Eppes Saumarez, a lecturer
before women's clubs, Margaret's almoner in furthering the cause of
theosophy, nature study, and rational dress.
Adèle Haggage, Mrs. Haggage's daughter, Margaret's rival with Hugh
Van Orden.

And Margaret Hugonin.
The other participants in the story are Wilkins, Célestine, The Spring
Moon and The Eagle.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
"Margaret"
"'Altogether,' says Colonel Hugonin, 'they strike me as being the most
ungodly menagerie ever gotten together under one roof since Noah
landed on Ararat'"
"Then, for no apparent reason, Margaret flushed, and Billy ... thought it
vastly becoming"
"Billy Woods"
"Billy unfolded it slowly, with a puzzled look growing in his
countenance"
"'My lady,' he asked, very softly, 'haven't you any good news for me on
this wonderful morning?'"
"Miss Hugonin pouted. 'You needn't, be such a grandfather,' she
suggested helpfully."
"Regarded them with alert eyes"

THE EAGLE'S SHADOW
I
This is the story of Margaret Hugonin and of the Eagle. And with your
permission, we will for the present defer all consideration of the bird,
and devote our unqualified attention to Margaret.

I have always esteemed Margaret the obvious, sensible, most
appropriate name that can be bestowed upon a girl-child, for it is a
name that fits a woman--any woman--as neatly as her proper size in
gloves.
Yes, the first point I wish to make is that a woman-child, once baptised
Margaret, is thereby insured of a suitable name. Be she grave or gay in
after-life, wanton or pious or sullen, comely or otherwise, there will be
no possible chance of incongruity; whether she develop a taste for
winter-gardens or the higher mathematics, whether she take to golf or
clinging organdies, the event is provided for. One has only to consider
for a moment, and if among a choice of Madge, Marjorie, Meta,
Maggie, Margherita, Peggy, and Gretchen, and countless others--if
among all these he cannot find a name that suits her to a T--why, then,
the case is indeed desperate and he may permissibly fall back upon
Madam or--if the cat jump propitiously, and at his own peril--on
Darling or Sweetheart.
The second proof that this name must be the best of all possible names
is that Margaret Hugonin bore it. And so the murder is out. You may
suspect what you choose. I warn you in advance that I have no part
whatever in her story; and if my admiration for her given name appear
somewhat excessive, I can only protest that in this dissentient world
every one has a right to his own taste. I knew Margaret. I admired her.
And if in some unguarded moment I may have carried my admiration
to the point of indiscretion, her husband most assuredly knows all about
it, by this, and he and I are still the best of friends. So you perceive that
if I ever did so far forget myself it could scarcely have amounted to a
hanging matter.
I am doubly sure that Margaret Hugonin was beautiful, for the reason
that