THE ROLL-CALL. Bennett Arnold

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       Arnold Bennett

      THE ROLL-CALL

      Published by

      Books

      - Advanced Digital Solutions & High-Quality eBook Formatting -

       [email protected]

      2017 OK Publishing

      ISBN 978-80-272-3713-5

      BY THE SAME AUTHOR

       NOVELS

       A Man from the North

       Anna of the Five Towns

       Leonora

       A Great Man

       Sacred and Profane Love

       Whom God hath Joined

       Buried Alive

       The Old Wives' Tale

       The Glimpse

       Helen with the High Hand

       Clayhanger

       Hilda Lessways

       These Twain

       The Card

       The Regent

       The Price of Love

       The Lion's Share

       The Pretty Lady

       FANTASIAS

       The Ghost

       The Grand Babylon Hotel

       The Gates of Wrath

       Teresa of Watling Street

       The Loot of Cities

       The City of Pleasure

       SHORT STORIES

       Tales of the Five Towns

       The Grim Smile of the Five Towns

       The Matador of the Five Towns

       BELLES-LETTRES

       Journalism for Women

       Fame and Fiction

       How to become an Author

       The Truth about an Author

       How to Live on Twenty-Four Hours a Day

       Mental Efficiency

       The Human Machine

       Literary Taste

       Those United States

       Paris Nights

       Friendship and Happiness

       Married Life

       Liberty

       Over There

       The Author's Craft

       Books and Persons

       Self and Self-Management

       DRAMA

       Polite Farces

       Cupid and Common Sense

       What the Public Wants

       The Honeymoon

       The Great Adventure

       The Title

       Judith

       Milestones (in collaboration with EDWARD KNOBLOCK)

      (In collaboration with EDEN PHILLPOTTS)

       The Sinews of War: A Romance

       The Statue: A Romance

      Table of Contents

       PART I

       CHAPTER I: THE NEW LODGING

       CHAPTER II: MARGUERITE

       CHAPTER III: THE CHARWOMAN

       CHAPTER IV: THE LUNCHEON

       CHAPTER V: THE TEA

       CHAPTER VI: THE DINNER

       CHAPTER VII: THE RUPTURE

       CHAPTER VIII: INSPIRATION

       CHAPTER IX: COMPETITION

       PART II

       CHAPTER I: THE TRIUMPH

       CHAPTER II: THE ROLL-CALL

       CHAPTER III: IN THE MACHINE

      PART I

      Table of Contents

      CHAPTER I

      THE NEW LODGING

      Table of Contents

      I

      In the pupils' room of the offices of Lucas & Enwright, architects, Russell Square, Bloomsbury, George Edwin Cannon, an articled pupil, leaned over a large drawing-board and looked up at Mr. Enwright, the head of the firm, who with cigarette and stick was on his way out after what he called a good day's work. It was past six o'clock on an evening in early July 1901. To George's right was an open door leading to the principals' room, and to his left another open door leading to more rooms and to the staircase. The lofty chambers were full of lassitude; but round about George, who was working late, there floated the tonic vapour of conscious virtue. Haim, the factotum, could be seen and heard moving in his cubicle which guarded the offices from the stairs. In the rooms shortly to be deserted and locked up, and in the decline of the day, the three men were drawn together like survivors.

      "I gather you're going to change your abode," said Mr. Enwright, having stopped.

      "Did Mr. Orgreave tell you, then?" George asked.

      "Well, he didn't exactly tell me...."

      John