The Fate of Faustina

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"The Fate of Faustina"

Raffles (Scribner 1906) -pg82.png

Raffles confronts Count Corbucci, 1906 illustration by F. C. Yohn
Author E. W. Hornung
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Series A. J. Raffles
Genre(s) Crime fiction
Publisher Charles Scribner's Sons
Media type Print (Magazine)
Publication date March 1901
Preceded by "A Jubilee Present"
Followed by "The Last Laugh"

"The Fate of Faustina" is a short story by E. W. Hornung, and features the gentleman thief A. J. Raffles, and his companion and biographer, Bunny Manders. The story was first published in Scribner's Magazine in March 1901. [1] The story was also included as the third story in the collection The Black Mask , published by Grant Richards in London, and Charles Scribner's Sons in New York, both in 1901. [2]

E. W. Hornung British writer

Ernest William Hornung was an English author and poet known for writing the A. J. Raffles series of stories about a gentleman thief in late 19th-century London. Hornung was educated at Uppingham School; as a result of poor health he left the school in December 1883 to travel to Sydney, where he stayed for two years. He drew on his Australian experiences as a background when he began writing, initially short stories and later novels.

Bunny Manders

Harry Manders is a character in the popular series of Raffles novels by E.W. Hornung. He is the faithful companion of Raffles, a cricketer and gentleman thief, who makes a living robbing the rich in late Victorian British High Society.

Contents

Plot

The noise of some Neapolitan organ-grinders outside their flat reminds Raffles of his time spent in Italy. Raffles finally tells Bunny what happened to him after he fled the police during the events of "The Gift of the Emperor":

The Gift of the Emperor 1898 short story by E. W. Hornung

"The Gift of the Emperor" is a short story by E. W. Hornung, and features the gentleman thief A. J. Raffles, and his companion and biographer, Bunny Manders. The story was first published in October 1898 by Cassell's Magazine. The story was also included as the eight and last story in the collection The Amateur Cracksman, published by Methuen & Co. Ltd in London, and Charles Scribner's Sons in New York, both in 1899.

Pretending to be a shipwrecked sailor, Raffles briefly finds work as a miner on the island of Elba. Then, he takes a boat to Baiae, and works in an idyllic vineyard for eight months. Raffles detests the vineyard's vile owner, Count Corbucci. Meanwhile, he falls in love with a local girl named Faustina. Faustina is beautiful, though very poor. He and Faustina spend time happily together.

Baiae human settlement in Italy

Baiae was an ancient Roman town situated on the northwest shore of the Gulf of Naples, and now in the comune of Bacoli. It was a fashionable resort for centuries in antiquity, particularly towards the end of the Roman Republic, when it was reckoned as superior to Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Capri by the super-rich who built luxurious villas here from 100 BC to 500 AD. It was notorious for its hedonistic offerings and the attendant rumours of corruption and scandal.

Eventually, Faustina tearfully confesses to Raffles that she is engaged. After Raffles prods her, she admits the man's identity: Stefano, Corbucci's violent servant, who is giving Faustina jewels, which she needs to support her family. Raffles realizes the jewels are actually from Corbucci, and that Corbucci is using Stefano in an atrocious scheme to take advantage of Faustina. Raffles is determined to fight for her.

However, the night before Corbucci is expected to return after a trip, Raffles is stalled by a vineyard manager. Raffles then goes to the cave behind the vineyard, to meet Faustina, but Corbucci surprises him on the path to the cave. Corbucci speaks menacingly. Raffles goes on to the cave, only to find Faustina stabbed to death by Stefano. Devastated, Raffles steals Stefano's revolver from Stefano and kills him. Then Raffles goes after Corbucci in his house, ties up Corbucci, and abandons him.

"At Genoa I took to my wits once more, and have been living on nothing else ever since."

— Raffles, on his return to crime [3]

Raffles flees the vineyard by boat to Genoa, where he steals and begs to survive. He sees his own unrecognizable reflection in a window, and decides to return to London.

Raffles concludes the narrative by telling Bunny that Corbucci's crime syndicate, the Camorra, may be after him. He half-jokingly suggests the organ-grinders outside their window may be part of the syndicate.

The Camorra is an Italian Mafia-type crime syndicate, or secret society, which arose in the region of Campania and its capital Naples. It is one of the oldest and largest criminal organizations in Italy, dating back to the 17th century. Unlike the pyramidal structure of the Sicilian Mafia, the Camorra's organizational structure is more horizontal than vertical. Consequently, individual Camorra clans act independently of each other, and are more prone to feuding among themselves.

Adaptations

BBC Radio did not adapt this story into a radio drama as parts of its series of Raffles adaptations. [4]

Related Research Articles

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No Sinecure 1901 short story by E. W. Hornung

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The Last Laugh (short story) 1901 short story by E. W. Hornung

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To Catch a Thief (short story) 1901 short story by E. W. Hornung

"To Catch a Thief" is a short story by E. W. Hornung, and features the gentleman thief A. J. Raffles, and his companion and biographer, Bunny Manders. The story was first published in Scribner's Magazine in May 1901. The story was also included as the fifth story in the collection The Black Mask, published by Grant Richards in London, and Charles Scribner's Sons in New York, both in 1901.

An Old Flame (short story) 1901 short story by E. W. Hornung

"An Old Flame" is a short story by E. W. Hornung, and features the gentleman thief A. J. Raffles, and his companion and biographer, Bunny Manders. The story was first published in Scribner's Magazine in June 1901. The story was also included as the sixth story in the collection The Black Mask, published by Grant Richards in London, and Charles Scribner's Sons in New York, both in 1901.

The Wrong House short story by E. W. Hornung

"The Wrong House" is a short story by E. W. Hornung, and features the gentleman thief A. J. Raffles, and his companion and biographer, Bunny Manders. The story was first published in Scribner's Magazine in September 1901. The story was also included as the seventh story in the collection The Black Mask, published by Grant Richards in London, and Charles Scribner's Sons in New York, both in 1901.

The Knees of the Gods 1901 short story by E. W. Hornung

"The Knees of the Gods" is a short story by E. W. Hornung, and features the gentleman thief A. J. Raffles, and his companion and biographer, Bunny Manders. The story was first published as the eighth and final story in the collection The Black Mask, published by Grant Richards in London, and Charles Scribner's Sons in New York, both in 1901. It is the only story in the collection that was not first published separately in serial format.

The Rest Cure (short story) 1905 short story by E. W. Hornung

"The Rest Cure" is a short story by E. W. Hornung, and features the gentleman thief A. J. Raffles, and his companion and biographer, Bunny Manders. The story was published in February 1905 by Collier's Weekly in New York and in March 1905 by Pall Mall Magazine in London. The story was also included as the third story in the collection A Thief in the Night, published by Chatto & Windus in London, and Charles Scribner's Sons in New York, both in 1905.

The Field of Philippi 1905 short story by E. W. Hornung

"The Field of Philippi" is a short story by E. W. Hornung, and features the gentleman thief A. J. Raffles, and his companion and biographer, Bunny Manders. The story was published in April 1905 by Collier's Weekly in New York and in May 1905 by Pall Mall Magazine in London. The story was also included as the fifth story in the collection A Thief in the Night, published by Chatto & Windus in London, and Charles Scribner's Sons in New York, both in 1905.

References

Notes
  1. ↑ William G. Contento (12 August 2017). "Series List". The FictionMags Index. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
  2. ↑ Rowland, page 280.
  3. ↑ Hornung, page 94.
  4. ↑ Frank M. Passage (20 May 2004). "Raffles". Old-Time Radio. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
Sources
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