The Path of Duty

The Path of Duty first appeared in magazine form in The English Illustrated Magazine in December 1884, which had been established the year previously by Macmillan to create a publication with high production values and illustrations appealing to the artistic market. The story was later reprinted in a three volume collection of James's stories in 1885. This story is a variation on the theme of fear of marriage or burden of inheritance - both of which are very deeply buried seams in the sub-stratum of homo-eroticism which runs through much of James's work.