# The Wheels of Chance: A Bicycling Idyll

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a novel first published in 1895; was written at the peak of what has been called the Golden Age of the bicycle—the years of 1890-1905 when practical, comfortable bicycles first became widely and cheaply available, and before the rise of the automobile (see History of the bicycle). In 1922 it was adapted into a silent film, The Wheels of Chance (film).
Illustrator: J. Ayton Symington
THE WHEELS OF CHANCE
THE WHEELS OF CHANCE
A BICYCLING IDYLL
BY
H. G. WELLS Author of "The Time Machine," "The Wonderful Visit," etc.
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY J. AYTON SYMINGTON
New York THE MACMILLAN COMPANY LONDON: MACMILLAN & CO., LTD. 1913
All rights reserved
Frontispiece.
Copyright, 1896,
By THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.
Set up and electrotyped. Published October, 1896. Reprinted September, 1897; May, 1906; March, 1913. Special edition, in paper covers, June, 1905.
Norwood Press J. S. Cashing & Co.—Berwick & Smith Co Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.
To
MY DEAR MOTHER
CONTENTS
* PAGE
* The Principal Character in the Story................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................1
* The Riding Forth of Mr. Hoopdriver................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................17
* The Shameful Episode of the Young Lady in Grey................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................29
* On the Road to Ripley................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................40
* How Mr. Hoopdriver was haunted................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................59
* The Imagingings of Mr. Hoopdriver's Heart................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................69
* Omissions................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................76
* The Dreams of Mr. Hoopdriver................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................79
* How Mr. Hoopdriver went to Haslemere................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................84
* How Mr. Hoopdriver reached Midhurst................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................92
* An Interlude................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................99
* Of the Artificial in Man, and of the Zeitgeist................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................105
* The Encounter at Midnight................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................109
* The Pursuit................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................127
* At Bognor................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................136
* The Moonlight Ride................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................157
* The Surbiton Interlude................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................167
* The Awakening of Mr. Hoopdriver................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................178
* The Departure from Chichester................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................185
* The Unexpected Anecdote of the Lion................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................197
* The Rescue Expedition................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................207
* Mr. Hoopdriver, Knight Errant................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................231
* The Abasement of Mr. Hoopdriver................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................256
* In the New Forest................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................280
* At the Rufus Stone................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................297
* The Envoy................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................317
BY THE SAME AUTHOR.
THE FOOD OF THE GODS, AND HOW IT CAME TO EARTH. TWELVE STORIES AND A DREAM. THE FIRST MEN IN THE MOON. THE INVISIBLE MAN. LOVE AND MR. LEWISHAM. ANTICIPATIONS. MANKIND IN THE MAKING. A MODERN UTOPIA. KIPPS: THE STORY OF A SIMPLE SOUL.
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.
The longest-living author of this work died in 1946, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 77 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
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