That Fortune

In Short

Set against the background of late-nineteenth-century New York, this novel follows Philip Burnett, a high-principled young lawyer and aspiring writer, as he pursues Evelyn Mavick, the sheltered daughter of a prominent financier. While Evelyn’s mother seeks to secure a titled British husband for her daughter, the immense family fortune that enables their lavish lifestyle rests on precarious speculation. When a ruthless Wall Street operator named Murad Ault collapses the Mavick empire, the family's social standing vanishes. Stripped of artificial luxury, Philip and Evelyn build a life grounded in genuine love, modest work, and enduring moral integrity.

The Story

The narrative opens in the countryside, tracing the simple early days of youth before shifting to the high-stakes environment of New York City. Philip Burnett enters the legal profession in Manhattan, taking up residence in a modest upper-room apartment that offers a view of the Hudson River. Dedicated to high ideals of justice and literature, Philip rejects the cynical view of law as mere commercial warfare. His life changes when he becomes acquainted with Thomas Mavick, a financier whose name dominates the press and whose family sits at the apex of Manhattan society.

Philip falls deeply in love with Mavick's daughter, Evelyn. Raised under the watchful and affectionate care of her governess, Miss McDonald, Evelyn possesses a reflective, innocent nature that sets her apart from the surrounding materialism. Her mother, Mrs. Mavick, harbors grand social ambitions and envisions a far more lucrative and prestigious alliance for her daughter. When a visiting English aristocrat, Lord Montague, enters their circle, Mrs. Mavick eagerly encourages his suit, viewing an aristocratic title as the ultimate social trophy. Recognizing Philip as a poor, ambitious young man with no financial standing, Mrs. Mavick moves decisively to cut him off from the household, orchestrating Miss McDonald’s dismissal to remove an ally who supports the young lovers.

Meanwhile, the shadow of Wall Street hangs over the Mavick household. The vast fortune enjoyed by the family was originally built upon questionable practices by its creator, Rodney Henderson, and now rests within the volatile world of market speculation. Entering this arena is Murad Ault, a bold and relentless market operator known in the press as the "Young Napoleon." Operating with cold calculation, Ault thrives on financial panics and targets the Mavick interests in a series of aggressive financial maneuvers.

As Mrs. Mavick plans elaborate entertainments and pushes Lord Montague into Evelyn's presence, Ault’s financial trap springs. The Mavick fortune collapses completely, forcing the family into financial ruin and assignment of their property. Their grand Fifth Avenue home and possessions are bought up by Ault, who systematically dismantles the empire Mavick spent years assembling. Lord Montague vanishes as soon as the heiress loses her wealth, and the artificial social circle that once celebrated the Mavicks abandons them.

Unmoved by the loss of high position, Philip remains steadfast. Having successfully published his first book while establishing himself in his career, he offers Evelyn a life free from the pretense and instability of sudden wealth. Reunited with Miss McDonald, Philip and Evelyn marry in June and settle into a modest, light-filled apartment overlooking the river, finding lasting peace in mutual affection and simple living.

How It Unfolds

The rural beginning A twelve-year-old boy swings high in the top of a hickory tree on a country hillside, taking in the wide natural landscape and indulging in the early, untamed dreams of youth.

Entering the legal world Philip Burnett studies law in New York City, weighing the cynical advice of sharp practitioners against noble ideals of justice while looking out over the Hudson River from his high room.

Rising in society and print Philip earns the affection of the sheltered Evelyn Mavick and secures the publication of his first narrative work, even as Evelyn's ambitious mother quietly cuts him out of their social circle.

The rival appears Mrs. Mavick actively encourages the attentions of Lord Montague, a dense but titled English aristocrat, hoping to secure a prestigious match for Evelyn while dismissing the loyal governess, Miss McDonald.

The financial titan rises Murad Ault, a ruthless market operator dubbed the "Young Napoleon," executes aggressive stock maneuvers that target the questionable foundation of the immense Mavick fortune.

The collapse of the empire Ault succeeds in breaking the Mavick firm, forcing the family into bankruptcy, stripping them of their Fifth Avenue residence, and causing their fair-weather social peers and titled suitors to vanish.

A new foundation Free from the burden of artificial wealth, Philip and Evelyn marry on a clear June day, establishing a quiet home on the Heights with the help of their devoted friend, Miss McDonald.

The People

• Philip Burnett: A reflective, high-minded young lawyer and author. He seeks success on his own ethical terms, refusing to view either law or creative writing as a mere tool for financial gain, and remains devoted to Evelyn regardless of her financial status.
• Evelyn Mavick: The daughter of a multi-millionaire, raised in near-total isolation from worldliness by her governess. Thoughtful and gentle, she possesses an innocent curiosity about real life and resists the empty social matches promoted by her mother.
• Mrs. Mavick: A social climber obsessed with status and public display. She orchestrates her daughter's social calendar, courts English nobility, and ruthlessly severs ties with anyone who lacks sufficient wealth or leverage.
• Thomas Mavick: A celebrated Wall Street financier whose financial movements dictate market trends. Though dominant in public and commercial life, his empire is built on unstable speculative ground.
• Murad Ault: An unscrupulous, brilliant stock operator known as the "Young Napoleon." Driven by a fiercely competitive nature and memories of an impoverished childhood, he masterminds the financial ruin of the Mavick family.
• Miss McDonald: Evelyn’s long-time governess and confidante. She acts as a moral anchor for the young heiress, offering warm wisdom gained from her own past heartbreaks until she is dismissed by Mrs. Mavick.

In Its Own Voice

“If you begin by declining causes you disapprove of, the public will end by letting you alone in your self-conceited squeamishness.”

— A senior lawyer scolds Philip Burnett for attempting to maintain a strict personal conscience within the legal profession.

“How strange it is that so many things that are self-evident nobody seems to see, and that there are so many things that are right that can't be done.”

— Evelyn Mavick reflects on the frustrating contradictions of society during a quiet walk with Philip.

“There is a little plateau on the side of the East Mountain in Rivervale, where there used to stand a shack of a cabin... That is where I lived with my mother.”

— Murad Ault reveals the humble, bitter origins that fuel his drive to conquer Wall Street.

What It's Really About

The novel delivers a sharp critique of Gilded Age materialism and the corrupting influence of sudden wealth. Through the contrasting paths of market speculators and idealistic professionals, the text argues that fortunes built on financial manipulation and moral compromise are inherently unstable. It examines how high society uses money to erect artificial barriers between people, reducing personal relationships, marriages, and legal work to mere business transactions. Ultimately, the story poses a fundamental question about what constitutes a truly successful life, contrasting the fleeting power of Wall Street dominance with the quiet permanence of integrity, self-reliance, and authentic affection.

Why Read It Today

This work offers a clear-eyed, articulate portrait of late-nineteenth-century American ambition that feels remarkably relevant to modern anxieties surrounding wealth, status, and public image. Charles Dudley Warner writes with a calm, observant precision, capturing the bustling atmosphere of New York legal offices and Wall Street boardrooms as effectively as he portrays the quiet beauty of rural New England landscapes. Readers who enjoy classic domestic realism and social satire will appreciate its careful pacing and character studies.

The narrative does carry the deliberate, unhurried pace typical of nineteenth-century novels, occasionally pausing for reflective digressions on society, publishing, and urban growth. Readers must also navigate dated period attitudes regarding social class and foreign titles. Yet the book rewards patience with its grounded emotional clarity and firm moral backbone. It leaves behind a lingering, satisfying impression of how personal integrity can survive the volatile rises and falls of an acquisitive society.

<ElicitationsGroup message="If you'd like to explore this book further:"> <Elicitation label="Compare 'That Fortune' with other Gilded Age novels" query="How does Charles Dudley Warner's 'That Fortune' compare in themes and style to other Gilded Age novels like those by Edith Wharton or William Dean Howells?"/> <Elicitation label="Explore Charles Dudley Warner's career and works" query="Can you provide an overview of Charles Dudley Warner's literary career, including his collaboration with Mark Twain on 'The Gilded Age'?"/> </ElicitationsGroup>