New-York tribune., 1872-03-15
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

,sa 10 nsyChOlOHy -
~ - 40 are essential TO throwing powerful
-. ~ .h characters of the story without the oc-
-, .,;sodes that are the usual resort OF less
.aoinatiye writer's than the author to relieve ana
n,gpile the curiosity of the reader. The method
.dopfed by Mrs Spofiord in the construction OF TINS
novel betravs a confidence IN her own powers which
IA not fully warranted by the success OF its execu
.on II consists of a series of dramatic representa-
tons if the term may be applied towritng IN which
description rather than dialogue is the main feature
bat in which action or the delineation of action,
takes the place of simple narrative. The story Is
told by series Of tragic pictures in which the force
of verbal imagery and coloring is carried to the
highest degree leaving the impression Of scenes in
which the reader has taken personal share rather
than of events Of which he has been made cognizant
by historical rehearsal.
In the opening of the gorgeous pictorial drama,
the curtain rises upon spectacle i'll which the ghts
and shades of tragedy are cuIiousy blended for an
effect that curdles the blood. on the ground
floor looks out upon garden sparkling WIN tno
early light of june morning. The soit pIeeze
which had robbed the roses of their fragrance
struck leaf and bough and blossom into light before
il stripped them of their dew-drops in a shower
Sweet chors of singing birds made the thlcket Vocal
with their lively jargonngs. Every thing spoke OF
jov and beauty and health nothing of death or desc
Iaiion Through an open window you could see the
luxurious appointments of the room, the carpet was
like soft depth of moss, the bedStead OF carved
mother-of-pear with curtains of snowy SIN
which in spite of their heavy golden trlnges nut
tered in the caresses of the wind, the wall por-
trait Of woman set in panel of unburnlShed gold
The level sunbeams smote through globe OF le'i
roses supported silver tripod, casting STAN oil
crimson glory al the side of deeper darker stain OF
,cIl Law tba a a
sleeper with his ghastly counenance turned toward
the portrait his glazed eye still open fixed upon its
features and showing the form of man murdered
IN his sleep, D." a dead man straight and stark upon
his bed with stifiened blood about him. The nor
Tor Of the scene is heightened, not sotencd by the
apparition Of a lady, "a tall and shapey woman
with gracious presence of her own but with eyes
lusterless and sodden with much weeping 1t was
the original of the portrait The face of fair, white
woman, with hair of paleSt tint--the complexion so
white that YOU saw the tTacery of blue veins upon
her temples and her throat,-the large blue eyes
were scarcely bluer. Those eyes shone with light
that seemed To burn from the brain They were
strong and searching eyes, rejoicing eyes, that said
although the heart should break the spirit would he
clad and safe But the smile that played round the
Gps was full of melancholy. giving sinister express
sion TO the face which blended all its contradic-
tions into one perfect charm. face to lire on It's
victims to smile and smile and murder while II
smiled" The terrible import of the scene is half
vailed. half revealed. in the following passage
which also furnishes pregnant hint as l" the
ground work of the plot
Before the Lady quite lost 10 sight another person
had entered the bright nclosure II was me raldcnTr
making along with his spade across his shoulder HlS
way lay directly before the open easement ne pdSseH
seps AS he had Gnt usi uuiersts sight he saw,
back put down MS spade went in lie was WITHIN
perhaps a single minute; whcn he came ont he was
the thing he had left he caught SuippSe
breathessly after her She tuined ~ The sound OF
Mr. Beaudesfords he cried.
Has sent for me r she asked eagerly.
=" Mr.. Beaudesfords he began again, and stopped.
ing ifed the words, and gave him others nrst.
% madame this note Is for you. took 1t from his
She reached her own it, needing the dark, dry
glance at an Enclosure ii contained. and held it then with
quver visible in her fingers than if they had he
longed 10 a statue OF nodded clay. Well hcROy, she
eaid, what disturbs YOU What else 2"
The gardener looked at heT & ananea er s1 h
hlOwly opening his hand before her as if he could do It
faster This little knife " His teeth chattered in
"it is mine" she answered him. "You have often
secn me use II here Where did YOU find II r.
at is the knife with which MI BeaudeSfords was
last night murdered in his he e6smSd aG m
Abe swollen stood purple then it grew deathy,
sSpdr na 5re aa What ns red s 10
"Ay. Madame he replied, murdered. God! now
She seemed either hear him. else to find it
Impossible comprehend MIN MufutFeu!' SDe
gasped again staying herself only by that shaking hold
Ay ay, that's it no more nor less-just murdered!
But that's knife: take u, hide it, For mark ye,
Mrs. Beaudesfords! was your hand closed my Mays
eyeshis staring wide open by the same token
Mrs Beatidesfords wac moving as the spoke
moving with trembling feet, giving herself no time TO
listen him. glance AZ him. 10 he appalled, by bin.
Alarm house >" hOarsely crying she Ged.
"send Dr. Ruthven here! Rouse Them Come. rouse
then all - And she swept past him. fFenGthenpg ire her
counters fate and debes it'll
words be had been about to utter and ran IN the dircc
tOn OF DIR. Rutven's abode having the power TO obey
-, - Ise cnur.a ,rss In .boosr with
Mr. Eeandesfords shvered. but never paused as she
sepped across the sill Of the osn easement Now II
clear daylight. Last night, aud with another plr
pose she had crossed seahily and IN the dark She
the bellrOpe and rang peal that mIgnt nave
awakeDeI the dead Themselves before she ulrned 10
view the object hat so soon 10 be exposed 10 all
lad heard If she either knew II too well already, or
else did not fairly believe IT. The sight might have
made stronger woman sicken As shc caught me
sold stare Of those icy eyes her hmbs iaed ana she
fell senseess u the floor.
II only moment, aud the rooUi was full
servants, sisters, mother clustering together and
almost thf summons of the bell had found
them. While these hung. terror strnck over the bed
breaking out be widered wanR Others rubbed her
hands and temples. The Will that 20 seldom swervrd
10 her relief She heard clankDg KIND OF step on
hall pavement. and she stood upon one side OF the
dead mans pillow when Major CASTOR STOOD upon the
vtber.
GasiOD did not utter a syllable lie stopped and lifted
the eaden hand aud lct II fall again and then he looked
nj bending there before him frozen aud as pale as
the face below. Perhaps III such moment she
could feel that his her but what matter :
with that writing secured she safe she might be
murderer since doubtless. there had been seasons
when IN her heart she had desired this deab.as much
murderer the who used that little KNIFE which
since she had found herself still holding and
had flung away like adder. Twice and thrice a
derer she would rather CASTOR thought her, than once
false wife. Her husbands honor lay IN that scrap OF