The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-02
SO.uE NEW HOOKS.
A French Novel.

Hero Is story written In French by
AIpHoNsE DAupEr. well translated into English.
and lately published in Boston Estes 4 Lau-
riat 1t Is called SdOuie. and IL is u sad tale.
Told in straightforward way. without inter
polatlons OF fine writing moral reflections. or
philosophical deductions. 1t makes clear some
phases of the Infinite woe" which q vain.
hcartless. unprinciped. inscriptions. cnvious,
and revengeful woman can work. Sidonic Is
such a woman. Her childhood was passed in
poverty. not of the most oppressive kind how
ever At ono time she was apprentced to n
dealer in imitation pearls. She WIS like these
imitations-" 1t was the same frag lc brilliancy."
All her young life was passed in sight Of n largo
mandatory, and in n kind OF secondhand
communication with the family OF its proprie-
tor. Dress. display. the ostentaton Of tho vul-
gar rich. became her ideal Of happiness and
such happiness she resolved TO possess.
In pursuance Of her ambitious designs, such
as they are she artfully wins the tender love
of noble. simple hearted. utterly unsuspicious.
and, therefore. wholly confding man, much
older than herself. and makes him her hus-
band. Then she leads her husbands married
partner into a criminal intrigue; has, for a
time. all the uses and show Of wealth that she
wishes; causes her husbands hrtthcr ir-
rcmcdiably 10 compromise himself on her ac-
count; incidentally brings about the death Of
that brothers. sweetheart. n pure and trusting
girl; destroys the happiness Of the partners
wife; ruins the partner financially. making his
moral wretchedness certain. and suddenly.
without apparent mourning or regret sinks to
her proper level among the depraved of Paris
But she does not thus pass from the reader's
field Of view before, in carrying out plan Of re-
vcngc against the compromised hroiher-in-law,
a..
husband 10 kill himself.
The story is clearly told hy It's author. Con-
trary TO the commoncr French method. the
criminal intimacy of this bad heroine with
her victim is not dwelt upon. No details are
given. The fact Is plainly enough set forth.
that IL all. II is not CLOSED. or vanished. or in
any way made pretty. No attempt IL shown TO
soften the responsiveness Of such u character by
the use Of sentimeniality 1t stands out in It's
own hideousness, clearly and sharply defined.
Surely those persons must be very rare who.
by reading this book. could be tempted to fol-
low in the steps Of Sidonic, or who could regard
her without adherence.
Among the personagcs whom the author
brings into his pages some are exceptionally
purc-mnded and honorable, as Rislcr, the hus-
band Of Sdonie and Claire. the perfect wife Of
Fremont: some are weak, rather than vicious.
az Fremont and Frantz: some are idle. selfish,
and pretentous. as Dolobelle and Chobc; some
devoted to sclf-sacriilcc. as the wife and daugh-
ner Of Dolobclle; some to the mercantile honor
and integrity Of their patrons. IA planus some
10 ayarico and a mild form Of brutality. us old
Gardlnois. All these personages are very
clearly ind rated AMI inlvidualized; none OF
them are superilu0us, since all aneci or arr AZ
footed hy the career vi Sidonie. An hut the rich
b old peasant are destroyed or rendered more or