LADY ON THE WEB

I have almost finished The Emancipated. Like many Gissing novels, it starts slowly, and, in places, one wonders if one will ever come to care about the characters; but then, about 2/3 of the way through, one realizes that they have become solid, living folk, and one feels their presence keenly.

Upon starting the book, when leafing past the Table of Contents, I caught an inadvertent glimpse of a section titled "The Two Endings," and I felt a flash of despair. Not another happy ending forced upon poor Mr. G! And would that lightning glimpse fester in my mind like a splinter, impairing my enjoyment of the tale? But luckily, I forgot about it till just now, when, almost at the gate, it is intruding, making me vigilant for false notes.

Next up: Denzil Quarrier.