The Law and the Lady

by Wilkie Collins, David Skilton (Editor), David Skilton (Introduction), David Skilton (Noted by)

Overview

Despite the grave misgivings of both their families, Valeria Brinton and Eustace Woodville are married. But before long the new bride begins to suspect a dark secret in her husband's past and when she discovers that he has been living under a false name, she determines to find out why he is concealing his true identity from her. Soon she must endure an even greater shock: the revelation that her husband has been on trial for poisoning his first wife. Convinced of his innocence, Valeria is prepared to do anything to clear her husband's name, and in so doing upturns the conventions of polite nineteenth century society.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780140436075
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	06/01/1999
Series:	Penguin Classics Series
Edition description:	Revised ed.
Pages:	496
Product dimensions:	5.11(w) x 7.76(h) x 0.74(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Wilkie (William) Collins (1824-89) was a hugely successful and popular crime, mystery and suspense writer. He wrote the first full-length detective novels in English and set a mould for the genre as shown in The Moonstone and "The Woman in White."   

David Skilton teaches at the University of Wales, Cardiff.

Date of Birth:

December 8, 1824

Date of Death:

September 23, 1889

Place of Birth:

London, England

Place of Death:

London, England

Education:

Studied law at Lincoln¿s Inn, London

Table of Contents

Volume I
I	The Bride's Mistake	13
II	The Bride's Thoughts	22
III	Ramsgate Sands	37
IV	On the Way Home	50
V	The Landlady's Discovery	62
VI	My Own Discovery	70
VII	On the Way to the Major	83
VIII	The Friend of the Women	97
IX	The Defeat of the Major	108
X	The Search	128
XI	The Return to Life	158
XII	The Scotch Verdict	171
XIII	The Man's Decision	181
XIV	The Woman's Answer	189
Volume II
XV	The Story of the Trial. The Preliminaries	209
XVI	First Question--Did the Woman Die Poisoned?	213
XVII	Second Question--Who Poisoned Her?	239
XVIII	Third Question--What Was His Motive?	258
XIX	The Evidence for the Defence	282
XX	The End of the Trial	291
XXI	I See My Way	308
XXII	The Major Makes Difficulties	319
XXIII	My Mother-in-law Surprises Me	329
XXIV	Miserrimus Dexter--First View	339
XXV	Miserrimus Dexter--Second View	351
XXVI	More of My Obstinacy	372
XXVII	Mr Dexter at Home	382
XXVIII	In the Dark	399
XXIX	In the Light	410
Volume III
XXX	The Indictment of Mrs Beauly	427
XXXI	The Defence of Mrs Beauly	444
XXXII	A Specimen of My Wisdom	457
XXXIII	A Specimen of My Folly	462
XXXIV	Gleninch	484
XXXV	Mr Playmore's Prophecy	495
XXXVI	Ariel	510
XXXVII	At the Bedside	520
XXXVIII	On the Journey Back	539
XXXIX	On the Way to Dexter	543
XL	Nemesis at Last!	553
XLI	Mr Playmore in a New Character	592
XLII	More Surprises!	608
XLIII	At Last!	619
XLIV	Our New Honeymoon	626
XLV	The Dust-heap Disturbed	637
XLVI	The Crisis Deferred	651
XLVII	The Wife's Confession	658
XLVIII	What Else Could I Do?	672
XLIX	Past and Future	679
L	The Last of the Story	691