The evening world., 1895-05-18
0OOM VIEW.
"Ths wish," BY Hermann Suder.

"The Wlsh," by Hermaun Sudef.
mann.
Save me from the Introduction"
mend! He Is q dreadful Nuisance. and
sometimes much worse when he de-
he-introduction fiend Is bad enough.
goodness knows. but the she-introduc-
tion fiend II a hatefuliy chatty. volu-
BILE. pointless. tell-all creature against
whom some legislative action should be
taken. In Hermann sudermann's novel.
THE WISH" published by the Apple
tons. Miss Elizabeth Lee-I feel l must
mention her name-ruins the Interest In
tho novel by her Introduction. In a
weak moment read the Introduction
before beginning the book. After a lot
OF stupid feminine gush about Suder-
mann. whom she analyses very ABB
surdly. Miss Lee carefully gives away
the plot OF tie book-and there's pre-
cious little Of it-and quotes Its best
passages. She absolutely destroys all
interest In II. OF Sudermann she says:
I'm few words of the simplest sort
he brings before oui eyes living pic
lures" Where cen the Lee lady have
been living during the last year or two?
Why Us tho expression Giving pic
lures" without the consent Of Messrs
Roster 4 Bial?
Poor suiermanni know him by his
plays. "Magda' and "Die Ehre." and I
grieve to think that two women like
Mis-: Elizabeth Lee. who introduces
him. and Miss Lily Henkel. who rem
ders him into execrable English. should
have had power to abuse him. For, In
good sooth. III Is an admirably analyti-
cal writer. a vivid painter and a moral
ist Miss Henkel has made him ridicu-
lous With such expressions as Since a
long time already" and ALREADY yet"
with v'n.ch the book reeks. The corner
grocer Of Avenue A could have made q
bett- translation.
1.-THE Wish" tells the story OF poor
Olga Bremen. who was instrumental in
getting her fiabby sister Martha married
to rather brusque idiot. known as
Robert Hellinger. Olga loved Robert
herself. although she didn't know 1t.
Girls In Germany never know It. Girls
In America always do Olga went away
when they were married. but she visited
them when Martha brought a baby into
the world and tended her sister. She was
very fond OF Martha, but her love for
Robert was such a seething, bubblesome
passion that 1t reminded me OF Amelia
Rives and THE Quick or the Dead" So
while shs vas watching poor. feverish
Martha there came to her the wish that
Martha would die the horror of her un-
ratursl desire maddened her, and when
Martha really did die. she became a prey
to the most ghastly imaglnings and the
most morbid introspection-all OF which
Is most wildly and exquisitely set forth
py Sudernann. BY peculiar freak OF
fanny. the end OF the book Is placed at
the beginning. Olga kills herself rather
than marry Robert, who grows to love
her (how happy could he be with either
were tother dear charmer awayD. and
this opens the novel. All the rest Is told
by means Of a diary that Olga leaves.
fhs Is surely most fatal mistake. To
start with the denouement and gradu-
ally wend your way to the Introductory
remarks Is q most admirable way to kill
any story 1t demolishes 1.-The WISH"
which contains nevertheless some superb
specimens Of original thought.
There Is one serious thing to be said
against Olga. 1t sounds trivial, but It
must be said. Either the author or the
translator-andI fancy II must be wick
ed Lily Henkel-is unable to agree as
to the color Of her hair. On page IS we
read:
The coverlet was dragged up, and
formed white hillock behind which a
strip Of Olga's light brown hair shone
forth" Very good. But We meander
on to page rs. and there we find: But
when | see her dark head of curls lying
so submissively upon my shoulder" &c.
Why should Olga have light brown hair
on page 5S and dark curls on page sc?
Surely Sudermann. the Toistoi of Ger
many, doesn't intend to advertise hair
reg nerator! The idea Is terrific: 1t Is
revolutionary: II Is unprecedented!
This little slip, taken in connection with
Miss Lees introduction and Miss Hen
kers translation. cannot be tolerated.
All tho time that l was revelling in
Olga's agony at Martha's death. and
pitying her from the bottom of my heart.
l was thinking: you poor dear. I grieve
for you. But why on earth was your
hair light on page IS ard dark on page
9G?" Give me heroine with consistent
hair, II you please. or ! won't accept
her even from Sudermann.
A - L