An Old Meerschaum

This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design. In the bright bustle of Trieste, idle William Holmes Barndale is shaken out of complacency by his mischievous friend Jimmy Leland and stunned to discover that Jimmy is traveling with his family, including Lilian, the woman he secretly loves. What begins as comic social awkwardness quickly turns into a vivid study of romantic uncertainty, as Barndale struggles to conceal his longing while Lilian's sweet, teasing manner leaves him unsure whether she returns his feelings. Aboard the voyage to Constantinople, the tension deepens into tenderness, wit, and finally confession, until the two young people admit their love and their families agree to a delayed engagement. But the journey also brings danger: Jimmy's flirtation with a pretty Greek girl draws the wrath of her jealous pursuer, Demetri Agryopoulo, and Barndale narrowly prevents a deadly stabbing. In Constantinople, jealousy, misunderstanding, and wounded pride continue to shadow the travelers, while Barndale's treasured pipe—linked to his rescue of an impoverished sculptor—becomes a symbol of rivalry when it is broken and later stolen. Back in England, summer leisure on the Thames gives way to a new seriousness, as Barndale resolves to prove himself worthy of Lilian by writing a comedy with real heart.