Fort Amity

by Arthur Quiller-Couch

Overview

More than once, attempting a story of high and passionate love--in this book, for example, and still more recklessly in my tale of Sir John Constantine--I have had to pause and ask myself the elementary question: Can such a story, if at once true and exemplary, conclude otherwise than in sorrow?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789361421570
Publisher:	Double 9 Books
Publication date:	02/01/2024
Pages:	186
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.43(d)

About the Author

Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch was a British author who wrote under the name Q. He was born on November 21, 1863, and died on May 12, 1944. Even though he wrote a lot of novels, he is best known for his literary criticism and the massive book The Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1900 (later expanded to 1918). Many people, including the American author Helene Hanff, who wrote 84, Charing Cross Road and its follow-up, Q's Legacy, were inspired by him even though they never met him. His Oxford Book of English Verse was a favorite of Horace Rumpole, a figure in John Mortimer's stories. Arthur Quiller-Couch was born in England in the town of Bodmin in the county of Cornwall. He was born to Dr. Thomas Quiller Couch (d. 1884), a famous doctor, folklorist, and scholar who married Mary Ford and lived at 63 Fore Street, Bodmin, until he died there in 1884. Thomas was born from the marriage of two very old families in the area: The Couch family and the Quiller family. Arthur was the third smart person in the Couch family to come from that line. Jonathan Couch, his grandpa, was a naturalist, a doctor, a historian, a classicist, an apothecary, and an artist (mostly of fish). He had two younger sisters named Florence Mabel and Lilian M. who were also artists and folklorists.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER HE TICONDBEOOA At the alarm-post next morning the men were in high spirits again. Everyone seemed to be posted in the day's work ahead. The French had thrown up an outwork on the landward end of the ridge; an engineer had climbed Rattlesnake Mountain at daybreak and conned them through his glass, and had brought down his report two hours ago. The white- coats had been working like niggers, helped by some small reinforcement which had come in overnight Levis with the Royal Roussillon, the scouts said; but the thing was a rough-and-ready affair of logs, and the troops were to carry it with the bayonet. John asked in what direction it lay, and thumbs were jerked toward the screening forest across the river. The distance (some said) was not two miles. Colonel Beaver, returning from a visit to the saw-mill, confirmed the rumour. The 46th would march in a couple of hours or less. At breakfast, Howe's death seemed to be forgotten, and John found no time for solemn thoughts.Bets were laid that the French would not wait for the assault, but slip away to their boats; even with Levis they could scarcely be four thousand strong. Bradstreet, having finished his bridge, had started back for the landing-stage to haul a dozen of the lighter batteaux across the portage and float them down to Lake Champlain filled with riflemen. Brad- street was a glutton for workbut would he be in time? That old fox Montcalm would never let his earths be stopped so easily, and to pile defences on the ridge was simply to build himself into a trap. A good half of the officers maintained that there would be no fighting. Well, fighting or no, some business was in hand. Here was the battalion in motion; and, toleave the enemy in no doubt of our martial ardour, here were the drums playing away lik...