Historical Fiction Weyman, Stanley J.: Under the Red Robe (Illustrated) v2 7 Jul 2013

[AlexBell]

Please note that this illustrated version is intended to replace the first version I uploaded in 2010. If I could work out how to delete the old version I would. As well as illustrations this version has a better internal structure, fixed typos, and curly quotes.

Stanley John Weyman was born at Ludlow in Shropshire in 1855, the second son of a solicitor. He went to Shrewsbury School, then to Oxford, graduating in 1877 with a degree in history. With this degree he was not able to make much of a living for himself and prospects were discouraging. He was called to the Bar in 1881 and practiced law for 'eight wretched years' never making more than £200 in any given year, and frequently angering judges with his nervous incompetence in court.

Cornhill Magazine editor James Payn convinced him to undertake fiction. Weyman began publishing in 1883 with his short The Story of a Courtship for The English Illustrated Magazine. But not until his first novel The House of the Wolf, set in 16th Century France, was he
catapulted to fame in 1890. From 1890 onward, he was the lion of a very special and elegant literary form. His best books, including From the Memoirs of a Minister of France (1893), A Gentleman of France (1893), Under the Red Robe (1894) and The Red Cockade (1895) are all but without parallel in excellence. He died in 1928.

Under the Red Robe is set in 1630s France. The hero, Gil de Berault, is an impoverished gentleman, a gambler and duellist, whose life is forfeit because of Cardinal Richelieu's edict against duelling. He is given a choice between execution and being sent as a secret agent to capture a disaffected nobleman. The dubious mission seems the best choice at first. But he falls in love with the sister of the man he is sent to betray, redeems himself by setting the man free, and returns to face the Cardinal on 'The Day of the Dupes.'

Loosely based on www.violetbooks.com/weyman.html

The illustrations were taken from the Internet Archive, and were of poor quality. This is the first ebook in which I have made a serious effort to improve the illustrations with GIMP, and I would appreciate feedback on the images - especially those in chapters 7 and 8 - and suggestion on how I might improve them.

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