New-York tribune., 1885-08-09
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

aru.vAY TOWER. BY BLANCHE WILLIE
AS Boston: Tfcsnor w.
Tn Au,nay Tower" Miss Howard mas prouu'1a r,,s
..~., nth few defects and many eAceienoo'-
.cana ia Laid in France, near the fores' oi "
+bs euyjrons Of Paris. The 'i"o Is 'n0
German war. At the approach OF ,ho o.."s
Se'"~. .,.. c.utal most vf the landed proprietors
,s.s.nts fed. leaving empty houses and untiiiea
e.,sa .r 80 the invaders. The Marquis de Montanpan
s.ssrr,i 70 remain In his chateau at Aulnay' anu
r;,h his daughter the widowed Countess de ar /
sorrs and his friend and spiritual adviser 'he Aoo0
A. Navailles. renamed to receive the conquerorS
sFa General and staff of . Saxon corps were pros
.rtIv chartered at the chateau. much 10 tne lnuis
,.t;on of the Countess Nathalie Among 'iie ""NvA
Scs..r. vas a voung adjutant, Won Nordenfeis VINO
.,obtvav fell in love with the beautiful put coiu
md repellapt chatelane. rhe story deais WIN
ina progress. episodes and outcome Oh .n' p"''.
and the peculiarity of the SITUATION anoius opr~
entity for much subtle analysis OF ch'rao''i On.
1v-piay of patriotic sentiment lhtetna'o .
a.e nd curious enbarrassments Inc coiono'' %
~s.u.ass Nathalie. whose youth has been aifronted
- .-,oe de ooupenance with an infirm o'd rake.
..,r,Iv dead ia Offset bv the mercuriai vVaci.y VI
h.r maid Manette, an mpulsve ana nigh'y n'''o
por;s;snue whose weakness for the military iea".
h., to mt aside her patriotism aitosetnor' anu
-ho.o freouentlv droll and amusing speeches wouio
=, .;,l bette, IL sometimes the author had not per
vr;tted her to chatter at too nuch leps'n' "'
Couutess vaguely suspects the Abbe' VINO Is i"'n0I
4oo conycntionally deep and inscrutaoie Will 'ono
tind of underhand schemes. and as tne e'ou'
.rovss with reason, for he is secretly In communi-
.,,, ,v;th the authorities at Paris. and from the
old tower issues night ssnaiS W 'A'A''
the German positions
r,ro 70 of course no treason in this, ana perhaps
q. -; made IN look too much as if the Abbe had done
wrono in working for his country. lhuecu' 'no
autbor,s sympathes are so strongly Win Nasna,
na her German lover that she rather distortS the
n,ar view of the Abbes actions, and presents hi'n
=. ,ha Eoht of a traitor whose tragic late Is ue-
carved The best work in the book Is INC ue'o'op
vreut of Countess Nathalie's character unuer .lo
inNuencs of her surroundings. and TINS Is rcaiiy
admirably done. Her youth had been soureo W
her unfortunate marriage and her widowhood nau
~Au." ;nto n time of sombre brooding. From this
.h. ;s ronghly shaken by the exgencies OF the war;
.nd the enforced companionship OF the German
oa;cers followed by the work OF nursing the
.onnded which naturally tnkes hold upon her
pbep the village becomes filled with the Virth's VI
cha freauent battles, softens and opens her near
.nd understanding The patriotic fanaticish oi .io
Abba for a time checks the growth OF her love ior
NordenfcIa. but when he is brought back
almost fatally wounded from fierce engage'nei' !"
ia unnecessary to speculate as to the sequei.
Apart from the plot the story IS very weii wr''eu
The descriptions of such fragments OF war scenes
as come in view are extremely vivid and pictu'
resoue. There is power as we'll as freshness IN the
stvls. and marked advance in grasp OF her subject
ovor the authors former novels. "Gueun," though
clever, is not little morbid. but no fault can be
found with sAulnay Tower" which Is bright.
wholesome. full of healthy sentiment. The OLD
MARQUIS is q clean-cut character II not py any
means original. Nordenfes is simple. manly
German soldier, distinguished by sensioiiitv ana
courtliness not altogether common among us
countrymen. The Germans generally. however
fare very well at the hands OF Miss Howard Al'o
Gather her last story is a charming and brilliant
cnc and cannot but add to her reputation. .