Other editions of book Half a Hero. a Novel

In the garden the question was settled without serious difference of opinion. If Sir Robert Perry really could not go on—and Lady Eynesford was by no means prepared to concede even that—then Mr. Puttock, bourgeois as he was, or Mr. Coxon, conceited and priggish though he might be, must come in. At any rate, the one indisputable fact was the impossibility of Mr. Medland: this was, to Lady Eynesford's mind, axiomatic, and, in the safe privacy of her family circle (for Miss Scaife counted as one of the family, and Captain Heseltine and Mr. Flemyng did not count at all), she went so far as to declare that, let the Governor do as he would (in the inconceivable case of his being so foolish as to do anything of the kind), she at least would not receive Mr. Medland. Having launched this hypothetical thunderbolt, she asked Alicia Derosne to give her another cup of tea. Alicia poured out the tea, handed it to her sister-in-law, and asked, "But, Mary, what is there so dreadful about Mr. Medland?"

Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins, better known as Anthony Hope (9 February 1863 – 8 July 1933), was an English novelist and playwright. He was a prolific writer, especially of adventure novels but he is remembered predominantly for only two books: The Prisoner of Zenda (1894) and its sequel Rupert of Hentzau (1898). These works, "minor classics" of English literature, are set in the contemporaneous fictional country of Ruritania and spawned the genre known as Ruritanian romance, works set in fictional European locales similar to the novels. Zenda has inspired many adaptations, most notably the 1937 Hollywood movie of the same name.

Anthony Hope's novel, "Half a Hero," is a study of political and social life in the English colony of New Lindsey, which may possibly be New Zealand. The half hero is one Medland, leader of the radicals, who by a coalition comes into power as premier. He had been a common laborer, had risen by integrity and energy, and although unpolished of manners shows qualities that make the true man. The humor of the situation arises from the necessity forced upon the snobbish family of the titled governor to receive him and his daughter on terms of social equality. Later on it appears that there has been something "irregular" about Medland's marriage, but when disgrace is threatened and he has the chance to silence his enemies by a skilful distribution of spoils he refuses to submit and dares political death and social obloquy rather than sacrifice his manliness. The end of the story is tragic.

Excerpt from Half a Hero: A NovelThere now! That's very awkward. He must come here, you know, and what shall I say to my wife?She's been dead three or four years now, said Sir Robert, not referring to the Governor's wife. And it's only rumour after all. Nothing has ever come to light on the subject.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

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Up to this moment, the Governor, Lord Eynesford, and his wife had enjoyed their reign.The Governor agreed heartily with measures introduced by the ministry; and his relations with the government and Sir Robert Perry, its chief, had been based on reciprocal liking and respect -- for they were most of them gentlemen and all of them respectable. And Lady Eynesford's discerning approval of all involved had meant a stellar season at their table.Suddenly, in the midst of an apparently peaceful session, came what the Governor considered an unhallowed combination -- between a discontented section of Perry's party and the Opposition under Medland. Now the Government was in defeat, and the resignation of Sir Robert made inevitable the rise of Mr. Medland -- a thoroughly unsatisfactory outcome -- not least to Lady Eynseford.

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