| "A Night at Greenway Court" | |
|---|---|
| Author | Willa Cather |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Short story |
| Published in | Nebraska Literary Magazine |
| Publication type | Periodical |
| Publication date | June 1896 |
A Night at Greenway Court is a short story by Willa Cather. It was first published in Nebraska Literary Magazine in June 1896[1]. Four years later a revised version was published in the Library[2].
Contents |
Richard Morgan, a citizen from Winchester, Virginia, visits his friend Lord Fairfax. There, he meets Philip Maurepas, a Frenchman who tells them about his years in India. He expresses his disdain for the King, to Viscount Chillingham's dismay. They compare the political orders both in England and in France. Maurepas then attacks Fairfax because of the painting of a woman with a lily that he has. The next day, Fairfax acts regally and Fairfax pretends nothing happened. The narrator concludes that he acted in accordance with his Virginian duty.
The story has been deemed Poesque[3]. It has also been said to be 'straight out of' William Makepeace Thackeray's Henry Esmond[4]. Others have stressed the influence of John Esten Cooke, who wrote about Greenway Court[5], or Anthony Hope[6].