Johnston, Mary: Sir Mortimer. v1. 26 Feb 2014
 

Mary Johnston (November 21, 1870 – May 9, 1936)[1] was an American novelist and women's rights advocate.

Excerpt
But if we return not from our adventure,” ended Sir Mortimer, “if the sea claims us, and upon his sandy floor, amid his Armida gardens, the silver-singing mermaiden marvel at that wreckage which was once a tall ship and at those bones which once were animate,—if strange islands know our resting-place, sunk for evermore in huge and most unkindly forests,—if, being but pawns in a mighty game, we are lost or changed, happy, however, in that the white hand of our Queen hath touched us, giving thereby consecration to our else unworthiness,—if we find no gold, nor take one ship of Spain, nor any city treasure-stored,—if we suffer a myriad sort of sorrows and at the last we perish miserably—”