The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-06-06
FICTION.

FICTION.
In her latest book. His Honour and q
Lady" New York: d. Appleton & Coz
Mrs. Everard Cotes. or. as the reading
Duncan, has achieved by far her most
brilliant study Of English official life
in India. The plot Of her present story
IL more intricate than that Of any
preceding book from Mrs. Cotes' pen:
the characters that figure in It stand OFT
in clearer relief and the knowledge which
the author displays OF British-Indian
politics Is deep and accurate. Added to
all this, her gift Of satire is here re-
vealed at its very best, and the dialogue
at times fairly CLEANS with pointed and
sometimes almost poisoned wit.
This. in brief. Is the story: When
John Church assumes the post Of lieu
tenant governor of Bengal and finds
himself the acting king Of s0,0O0,o00
souls he is overcome by feeling Of his
responsibility and coddles his brain for
some reform idea. He Is a cold. calcu-
lating apd conscientious reformer, one
who Is born to make changes and upset
the settled order Of things no matter
how we'll that order operates. One Of
his first moves is to withdraw state
support from the schools, maintained
by u tax on the poverty stricken In
tlians for the benefit of the children of
british Officials His secretary. Lewis
Ancram, while openly appearing as a
supporter of the policy OF his superior,
Is writing articles for the newspapers
attacking the movement. Ancram is
enge ged to Miss Daye. but all the while
he Is secretly in love with Mrs. Church,
who offers him some encouragement
finding him a pleasant contrast to her
husband. Church's reform movement
results In his downfall and recall, but
before he can make ready for his de-
parture he is seized with a fever and
dies. 1t SO happens that his office falls
to the lot Of Ancram. Mrs. Church
leaves for England and Ancram press.s
ris suit from India. Purely by chance
his enmity to Church comes to the
knowledge Of the widow and when An
cram arrives in London with the burn
ing hope that Mrs. Church will accept
his suit he Is met with 'official cold
ness" Philip Doyle, an admirably
drawn character, marries Miss Daye
and Lewis Ancram is left nothing but
the lieutenant -governorship Of Bengal
and an uneasy conscience.
To appreciate the brilliancy of the
book one must. however, read 1t and
then this notice will be superfiuous.
Il
From the same publishers come two
| other handsome volumes Of widely diff
ferent characteristics. In False Coin
or True" Miss Montresor presents a
sympathetic study Of an outcast girl
who was born In a workhouse, reared
by an unfeeling mistress Of Bristol
clearinghouse as a maid-of- all work,
rescued, when kicked out into the
streets, by one Monsieur Moreze, q none
too reputable travelling sleight- Of hand
Snowman and professional hypnotist,
| developed into successful medium"
who becomes the rage of London, and
| finally, after a series Of perplexing OBJ
stacles, wooed and won by a matter of
| fact young Scotchman, who, In his
wooing, has to encounter the watchful
rivalry Of old Moreze himself The CEN
| trail theme Of the book is a contrast of
the conflicting emotions Of gratitude
and love-gratitude, which Linda, the
heroine, feels for the hyDnotist, who
had saved her from the slums and
treated her kindly; and love. which she
evinces for the young man who tries
to persuade her to desert her benefac-
tor and protector and fly with him. The
book would be much stronger II its
character Of the hypnotist did not re-
mind one Of Svengali and thereby
challenge unfair comparisons.
The other volume embodies three
short stories by that singularly gifted
and unaccountably eccentric writer,
| Robert 8. Hichens. The title Of the
book, 1.-The Folly of Eustace." Is sup
piled by the opening story, which tells
how a common place young man, wish
Ing to create a sensation, began a sys-
tematic feigning Of buffoonery, carry
| ing this deception so far that when he
| had won fine wife he, through a cur
ious misapprehension Of her character
forced her eventually to elOpe with a
more congenial companion. The foun-
dation Is slight, but upon 1t Mr.. Hichins
has reared another wonderful analysis
Of the workings Of the human con-
sciousness comparable with that which
made notable his imaginative Man. "
One cannot help wondering. however
why he does not turn his undeniable
powers to a more rational and whole
some purpose.