The San Francisco call., 1899-10-08

n T is some time since the publication OF
Mr.. Hardng's translation OF Edouard
Il Rods La Silence" C'The Sacrifice Of
SLelce'D, yet even now q few words
about this remarkable book may be Of in
terest.
"Kermoysan," the first Of the two
stories of silence which the book contains.
springs up spontaneously from one Of
those exQuisitely natural conversations
with which French novelists sometimes
introduce their works. One of the speak
ers afirms the paradoxical and dangerous
belief that there are cases when thanks
TO the alterations of the social Organiza-
1fon and to social prejudiccs, lying, deceit
and hypocrisy almost become virtues;
when the concealment from the world Of
a love which cannot be avowed is a hero
ism" He adds: when this love goes
through one of those crises in which the
heart is breaking, in which cries rise to
the lips and choking sObs to the throat,
vet all must be suppressed-think what
in such a moment the mask lofindiference
costs. think Of the tortuTes II hides. Tell
me If then the hypocrisy OF silence, the
lie Of the quiet, calm voice. the dissimu-
lation OF living the life that others live
does not constitute sacrifice, too, the
most painful that we can exact Of a man,
and consequently the most noble"
This is the underlying thought in 'Ker-
Iraoysan" Andre hermoysan ana Nine.
Herdevin are a man and woman whom
the author represents himself as meeting
when he first goes into society. Each IS
q person OF singular distinction and at
1ractiVeness, ana to each the young man
IS drawn. Leo by his interest in them TO
observe them atteutiVely, he thinks he
perceives that some subtle hidden bond
connects the two. They seem never TO
meet except casually, there is no sign
of love that the world can see, yet the
eyes OF the young man who tells the story
opened BY affecUonate interest, come by
little and little 10 see in details barely
noticeable-a glance, d movement-proots
that force on him and on the reader the
conviction that these TWO proud ana deli
cate souls are concealing from all the
world with incredible self-command a
passionate love which consumes their
whole being Nine, HerdeVln Is wife,
the wife inOeed OF u vulgar hberune, but
a wife: she is the mother OF children
whom she adores; above al, sne is q
woman with a woman 5 instructive re-
serYe. To protect her from the anguish or
scandal, from the desecrauon by public
sty Of the inner sanctuary OF her life, she
and hen lover sacrlTlce their peace 10 hide
tho culpable love which is the one JOY or
their lives. To the last, beyond the
tomb, Kermoysan kept her secret, and
when he stood beside her collin only the
despair in his eyes spoke his desolatlon
The suotlety with which the author
conveys the vague yet inevitable certain
ty of the strange relation IS in singular &C
cordance with the conception which Gre
ates the novel No less remarkable is the
character Of refinement and dignity given
TO Kermoysan by indirect suggestions
even less palpable than the circumstan
tial evidence Of his love for Nine. Herde-
win.
The second tale, a less powerful
less delicate type, is on a sim
liar theme. Two lovers, bound togeth
er not only by their passion. guilty In it
the husbands blood on his hands, fee
together 10 live in isolation from the
world. The woman's beauty is destroyed
by an accident The lover, against all
but not his tenderness, his pity. his affec
ton, his devotion HE lives a lie. to her,
with his words, his looks. his kisses"