The Project Gutenberg EBook of Castles in the Air, by Baroness Emmuska OrczyThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it,give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online atwww.gutenberg.netTitle: Castles in the AirAuthor: Baroness Emmuska OrczyRelease Date: May 28, 2004 [EBook #12461]Language: English*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CASTLES IN THE AIR ***Produced by Jim Tinsley FOREWORDIn presenting this engaging rogue to my readers, I feel that I owe them, if not an apology, at least an explanation for thisattempt at enlisting sympathy in favour of a man who has little to recommend him save his own unconscious humour. Invery truth my good friend Ratichon is an unblushing liar, thief, a forger—anything you will; his vanity is past belief, hisscruples are non-existent. How he escaped a convict settlement it is difficult to imagine, and hard to realize that he died—presumably some years after the event recorded in the last chapter of his autobiography—a respected member of thecommunity, honoured by that same society which should have raised a punitive hand against him. Yet this I believe to bethe case. At any rate, in spite of close research in the police records of the period, I can find no mention of HectorRatichon. "Heureux le peuple qui n'a pas d'histoire" applies, therefore, to him, and we ...
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