New-York tribune., 1885-07-21
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
NEW NOVELS.

MADAME DE PRESNEi. ny r+ H"A
Henry Holt 20. n
y. rrw.rrcIAND CONSCIENCE. BY BELLE T.
GREENE G. p Putnam's Sons
Tn tbe time of Trajan Roman genera iei' h'e
Aride at the Baths of Hercules. IN Daca' ana "o"'
"a follow his Emperor to the field. On MS return
slander was whispered to him, ana IN an accoS' ',
JEALOUS passion he ordered his young wie W uo
Slsn. She was thrown down fathomless p'' IN 'n1
rnonntains by hired assassin. The husoano
Siscoyered her innocence too late and plunged,
despairinv. into the black chasm which hao
enrulfed her. This Is the legend which the peas
antry of Southern Hungary, and especiaiy VI.
dwelIers IN the Valley of Hercules still rec'e' anu
the black -mouthcd pit which remains mysterious
grim and horrible, hidden in the recesses o' .no
forest. they have named Goard Drdcnt"'' "Hi.h
beins INTERPRETED signifies Devils Hole. Anu .ho
superstitious nountaincers further ainrm 'n"'
becapse Of an oath of Hercules the presiding genius
f tho bealipc waters and lord of the valley the pt
must have human victim once in each century.
Such is the fanciful background OF tue qa'e
modern story OF the "Waters OF Hercules H 10
well-constructed clever and unhackneyed romance
The characters are with few exceptions con-
tinental. They are Germans hou'n"n'Sn'' az
Robemians. and evidently studies from the LIE.
ro whole ;se en- scene is fresh and strange. Moth
inc could be more charming than the pictures OF ie
At the Hercules Baths, and the realism OF tne
description is as marked as the sympathy Win
nature which lends so much grace to tie sKetches
forest scenery. One seems to hear the musicai
plashiuq of the river Derdin rs it brawls througu
the little valley, and to SEQ the maroie o'in'
crowned with primeval forests which shuo III .'o
view and give wild and savage majesty 10 inc
classic ne,phb,rhood. 1t is In this strange ana
fascinating setting that the drama is played ahd
as curious yet real company as ever were 'hio"n
together by circumstances From the hcio'n0'
Gretchen Mohr. o German blonde beauty oi 'ho
most spirituelle type but endowed WIN "na' 'no
thinks thoroughly practical mind. to the Princess
Trvnbo.a Roumanian brunette of the most
superb beauty and the quaintest sluegishness OF
temneramert: from DR.. KOkovics, the Roumanian
nbvsic,an who passes his time between writing
amatorv verses and getting up all manner Oh enter
ta,nments to the Baron Istvan Tolnay. the lord Oh
the valley. a Hungarian with charming manners
and no conscience whatever: oil the characters arc
indiyjdualties, and, what is better, really iresh
oncs The hero, Dr. Komers. somewhat angular
but thoroughly noble and attractive herman law
yer is capital piece of evolution, ana Dei'a 'no
italian eeqane who has literally ideas outside OF
her toilet. is an interesting II not particularly
agreeable study the material for which is unfortu-
patclv Int too plentiful How the Gdua Drdcal~
comes into the story how it gradually becomes tho
centre around which all this life is working out
unseen ends and how at last the oath of Hercules
ia kent and the black pit claims its legendary
victim we shall leave readers to hnd out LOT
themselves. and they will find the investigation
we'll worth the trouble. The Waters OF Hercules
is ANONYMOUS 1t reminds us in places OF Reata,
another capital novel; but whoever wrote 1t GER
tanly has no reason to be ashamed OF the work. lot
it is an excellent piece of fiction and full OF careful
and conscientious study
In sMadame de Presnel" the impression is
conveyed of a story which the author either con-
ceivod without sufficient distnctness or failed to
realize in the development. The plot Is not com
plicated young man of means who travels much
is Frustrated by fever while crossing the United
States. and is nnrsed by an emigrant Engiishman
and his daughter The father takes the fever and
dies of it, and the girl is left almost destitute,
whereupon Warng the convalescent hero. thinks
it his duty to offer her marriage. She. however Is
attached to scamp of fellow who has disappeared
after the collapse of dishonest speculation. and
abe will only agree that if nothing is heard OF the
vanished rogue for a year she will take Warnings
offer into consideration. Waring then goes TO
Rome, where he meets Madame de Presnel, VINO
is a sort of second mother to him. and also makes
the aconaintapce of Otilie Capel, beautiful girl
whose father had married Bavaran peasant-glrl,
and who though rich and independent cultlvates "a
preference for democratic principles. and by way OF
demonstrating her predictions surrounds herself
in Rome with all manner of shabby and shady
people OF course WarlDg falls in love with this
peculiar young person. but there Is strange
creature named Howell possessing marvellous gift
of oratOry and fund of icmocratosocialist
theories wherewith he enthrals all the callow girl
artists In the Eternal CITY, and at the same time
inspires such confidence Miss Cape that she is
prepared TO assist him in a wild scheme to cover
the Campagna with wOrkmcn's cottages and garden
plots Her ndiscrctons having been reported to
her grandmother, an English lady Of title. OF the old
schoo,, tits oppressive old arlstocrat journeys to
Rome to rescue Otte, and by her stupid violence
so exasperates the girl that she commits the fearful
folly of giving Howell blank signed check.
Naturally Howell, who is an unprincped fellow,
goes off with the check, and filling 1t up for very
large amount tries to get 1t cashed at Munich
Bank. Thanks chiefly to the astutencss of Madame
de Presne who is the deus cr mactina throughout
the story the robbery of Miss Capcl II prevented
and in the end by methods unnecessary to describe
here Waring i9 relieved from his ENHANCEMENT
with the girl in America and ls made happy after
the orthodox fashion. But 1t canot be said that all
this is really we'll told. The character drawing Is
sketchy and often uncertain, if the author was
Of quito sureOf the effect intended to be introduced
Ottiiic is doubtless meant to be lOvable girl but
she is not that. She is simply an opinionated. per-
verse, obstinate and very rash and reckless young
woman, who by defying every teaching of expert
ence and scorning all the warnings of those who
were better informed than herself narrowly
escaped financial ruin which she would have
deserved richly. As to Waring, we doubt whether
his married life with such woman could be happy
but uasmuch as he himself is a good deal of prig
we are not much concerned about his future
o1a da m i'm m
have been made really interesting woman. but as
It is she is little moro than good suggestion. and
the same sketchiness detracts from the interest of
most of the other dramatis persone. 1t is a pity
that an author who clearly has the root of the
matter in her should spoil her opportnnities by