Marie Corelli

Innocent Marie Corelli

Innocent: Her Fancy and His Fact is a 1914 English novel by Marie Corelli. Its theme is the mistreatment of illegitimate children. It also contains several proto-feminist polemics against marriage. Raised on the prosperous farm of Hugo Jocelyn, descendant of a French knight, Innocent has always believed herself to be Jocelyn's illegitimate daughter by his fiancee before her death. She is an idealistic woman, inspired by the romanticism of the medieval French literature preserved by her ancestor; indeed, she feels she knows 'Sieur Amadis' personally. As an infant, Innocent was dumped at the farm during a violent storm, by a stranger who explained he had to keep going but feared endangering the child. He promised to return, but never did, instead sending money every six months. Jocelyn reveals this in a deathbed confession.