The Four Feathers
by A. E. W. Mason
British officer and gentleman Harry Piretsham has wealth, social status, a beautiful bride Etn Eustace and a brotherly bond with three close friends. But it's also full of a dark secret. Although his family is expected to continue his proud tradition of military service, he cannot forget the embarrassing stories he heard as a child: stories of men who fled their duties and shamed themselves in battle. Harry, fearing that he too will flee the war, resigns when his regiment is ordered to join the war-torn Sudan. After this decision, he receives a white pen symbolizing cowardice from each of his friends and a fourth pen from Etn. In their eyes and in his own eyes, he embarks on an epic quest to save himself, and travels alone to Africa in Arab disguise. As Harry endures the desert heat, fierce enemies, and the hellish prison known as the Stone House, his heroic exploits become the stuff of legend. First published in 1902, The Four Feathers is A. E. W. Mason's most famous novel on adventure and romance, exploring many complex moral issues within exotic intrigues and frenzied action. What is courage? What is cowardice? What is loyalty? And how can I balance the conflicting demands of the country, family, friends, lovers, and one's own ideals?
