title: The Moonstone: A Novel
author:  Wilkie Collins 
description: &#8220;The first, the longest, and the best of modern English detective novels in a genre invented by Collins and not by Poe.&#8221; (T.S. Eliot, author of <i>The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock</i>)<br /><br />&#8220;Probably the very finest detective story ever written.&#8221; (Dorothy L. Sayers)<br /><br />&#8220;Probably the best detective tale in the world.&#8221; (G. K. Chesterton, author of <i>The Victorian Age in Literature</i>)
zlib_text: 
  
      
  
  
  
  
  The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Moonstone, by Wilkie Collins
  
  
  
  
  
  This 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 at www.gutenberg.org
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Title: The Moonstone
  
  
  
  
  
  Author: Wilkie Collins
  
  
  
  
  
  Release Date: January 12, 2006 [EBook #155]
  
  
  
  
  
  Language: English
  
  
  
  
  
  Character set encoding: ASCII
  
  
  
  
  
  *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MOONSTONE ***
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Produced by John Hamm and David Widger
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
    
  
  
  # THE MOONSTONE
  
  
  ## A Romance
  
  
    
  
  
  ### by Wilkie Collins
  
  
    
  
  
    
  
  
    
  
  
    
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  ## Contents
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [PROLOGUE](0.html#id_2H_PROL)
  
  
    
  
  
  [THE STORY](0.html#id_2H_4_0002)
  
  
    
  
  
  [FIRST PERIOD](0.html#id_2H_4_0003)
  
  
  [CHAPTER I](0.html#id_2HCH0001)
  
  
  [CHAPTER II](0.html#id_2HCH0002)
  
  
  [CHAPTER III](0.html#id_2HCH0003)
  
  
  [CHAPTER IV](0.htm