The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-07-27
IAN IMAGINATIVE MAN"
A study Of Mental Dsrsnecmsus.

GAN IMAGINATIVE MAN."
/ -
A study OF Mental Deraneemeut.
Robert 8. Hichens. who achieved
some fame and much notoriety oy MS
authorship of '1The Green Carnation,"
q book regarded by Max Nordau anu
certain others as forming quite un-
surpassed example Of our literary age
end degeneracy. has challenged crii-
cism by issuing a second novel. more
ambitious than the first. and embody-
ing an even more unblushing. albeit
perhaps more finely elaborated. gospel
OF mingled cynicism. pessimism and
palled sensualism. This novel New
York: ID. Appleton q Co.; for sale In
Scranton by NJ. N0rton) 10 called IAN
Imaginative Man." but more apprO-
pirate title. as We shall BEE. would be.
n we may coin the word, "A Psycho-
maniac" for the theme thereof IL moth
ing less than portrayal Of the gradual
processes Of an insidious form OF men,
tai and moral decay. which to the lay
man seems about equally poised be-
tween acquired neurosis and an out
cropping Of some hereditary taint.
1.-The psych0maniac.
The Imaginative Man Is named
Henry Denison. "tall. thin man of
about thirty-eight," whose ''eyes were
dark brown, bright and restless" and
who combined a waxed moustache with
a Mephistophelian beard and smiled
cynically. At Eton Denison was
deemed odd. He was man who con-
sidered II almost criminal to be what
men call thorough good fellow" But
he was uncommonly gifted; and that
carried him through. We are intro
duced to Denison three months after
his marriage. In a bedroom where his
wife IL praying:
II wonder why she is praying" Deni-
son thought. looking at his wife. and
drawing his brows together In a slight
frown. ''Is It because she believes in a
God or because she wishes to sound me?
] wonder what she Ia praying about?"
He moved q step forward as If to go
softly out Of the room then paused again. |
II wonder whether she Is Pharisee?'
he thought. land for pretense makes
long prayers. Or perhaps she fancies that
! have gone down stairs. She cannot see;
her eyes are blinded by her hands. These
private prayers are fascinating. Every
thing that is strictly private Is fasc.nat-
Ing. Only when one has made 1t strictly
public does the bloom vanish from the
peach. The Bluebeard's chamber Of the
soul Is. after all. the only room worth
looking into. But the worst Of 1t Is that
one can generally find the means of en-
trance to 1t much too easily. and often 1t
turns out to be only barely furnished
and respectable attic after all-the sort Of
room Q Christian mistress gives to q
Christian maid l have not quite got into
Ends Bluebeard chamber yet. l wonder
II there are headless creatures there
b.sarre monuments Of her mental crimes"
n.-Thc Woman Of II.
Enid, the wife, an iroffensive, thor
oughly feminine. and, as the author has
drawn her. not overly individualized
woman, strikes the keynote to Deni- |
CONS falling when. in the scene from
which We have just quoted. she replies
to soma Of his pert epigrams about
prayer, soul mysteries. etc. by saying,
with curious Baby pathos
"You are always reasoning. Harry. I
sometimes fancy"
She paused and hes!itated.
Yes, dear?" said her husband. twist
ing his c.gar-case round In his hand a
little impatienty.
II sometimes fancy that II you loved me
a l.ttle more you would reason about me
q little less"
"Such an idea Is in direct opposition 70
oil my theories.
"But-Harry. wish sometimes you
were not so dreadfully clever. Cleverness
seems to me sort of disease"
Her dark eyes met his rather anx!ously.
You mean that the stupid are healthy,
and that the intelligent ought to be doc
tored. dosed with denseness. plastered
with ignorance? Would you put genius In
splints, Enid, and feed talent with the
water Cruel Of mediocrity?"
mot that OF course. Harry Still"
"Still. something ought to be done for
the poor. sick thing. I am not sure that
you are not right. A clever mind Is rather
like dog with the distemper. The worst
Of Il Is that the dog may get over the DIS
temper; but the mind never quite gets over
its cleverness."
Now you are being sarcastic" she said,
drawing her hand back into the bed again. |
II dare say am silly"
mo; you are wiser than you think. |
There is truth in what you say. But you
must confess, Enid. that there are not too
many dogs going about with the distem- |
per-"
1n.-Thc Crazo Intsrroestory.
The next scene necessary TO an TN
derspanding Of our friend. the psyche |
maniac. follows close after. He els in |
his den, smoking. His restless brown |
eyes" rove over the broad mantslpiece.
on which stand, in an unbroken row,
the cabinet photographs Of q number |
Of women.
my enigmas." he thought on, with q |
slight pursing Of the Mps that met each |
other firmly, some said cynically, over his |
large. white teeth. my en;gmasi The |
riddles have puzzled over. the acrostics I |
once fancied It impossible to solve. have |
guessed them ALL"
His eyes fingered on one photograph Of |
Q little, dark woman, with delicately-cut |
features and great. imaginative eyes. that |
peered out beneath black, curving brows |
with the wistful expression Of a plaintive |
dreamer. It Was the photograph Of his |
wife. -
II have married you to guess you," ne |
said to the photograph. That was car.
rying the pastime rather far, wasn't it?
Don't lst me guess you just yet"
He sighed. .'
People prate SO much about being able |
to have faith" he thought, ''as II It were |
beautiful. They talk Of the pleasure of |
reading q soul like an open book. No
open book IL worth reading. II only men |
and women were more incomprehensibla |
than they are. ] have never yet met with |
human being whom I could not thor |
oughly understand after certain period |
Of study and detective duty. Yet I have |
married Enid. That was rash. But do |
not quite understand ier yet What a |
mercy that Is. Misunderstanding keeps |
love alive"
He struck the ash OF his oigar with |