The San Francisco call., 1904-09-18
,HYROBERT'
II. RICHIE
PARKER
not Up 60 Standard


statesman and litterateur. has SC
Tar disentangled himself from
affairs political as 10 give TO the read
ing world another novel. the first
since The Right OF Way" Either
Sir Gilbert's pen hand has forgotten
some Cf its cunning or the affairs of
Parliament have been too pressing to
admit Of a high literary calm pre-
ceding the work OF writing, for The
Ladder OF Swords" is distinctly not
up 10 the mark OF those stirring Cana
dian tales upon which Parker rests his
fame. The story is good, but 1t halts
painfully in the telling.
In Harper's Magazine Of October
and November. 1900. there appeared
the short serial Angelo and Michel"
a tale OF two Huguenot refugees at
the court Of Elizabeth Of England. To
this shorter story Of his Parker has
added several chapters. detailing more
at length scenes Of court life and pal
ace intrigue. and rounding out the
smaller production into a novel Of
regulation length. But largely in this
very adding and establishment lie the
causes for the limp in "A Ladder OF
Swords A long colloquy between
Queen Elizabeth and the heroine in
one instance brings little to the story
besides some preachment Of a prosy
order. Again, a chapter devoted to
the interchange Of somewhat ponder
Gus wit between the Queens fool and
e boorish seigneur leads nowhere and
smacks suspiciously OF padding.
Angelo, a beautiful Huguenot
girl saved from death in Bar
tholomew's massacre, awaits with
her father the turn Of events
IN the scheduled hiding place of
Jersey Isle. Thither comes her lover
and berothed, Michel de Ia Foret, one
Of the defeated Camisards Of Protes-
tant France and the man whose arm
had warded the sword stroke from the
head OF his beloved in the wild night
Of slaughter. But his arrival at Jer-
sey is not before the bluff Seigneur of
Rozel. the friend and ouondam pro-
rector Of the refugees. has bluntly ad-
dressed himself for Angeles hand and
been deIicately but firmly refused.
The efforts OF the queen mother of
France 10 lay hands on this young
Michel cause both the gallant and
his sweetheart 10 fly TO the court Of
Elizabeth, there TO sue for clemency
and a safe havep from the wrath OF
the Medici. Genial cicerone and pre-
parer OF The way goes likewise the
Seigneur Rozel. faithful though re-
buhed. Once at the court Of the
great Queen. intrigue and counter
intrigue thicken about the steps Of the
lovers. Lord Leicester, so long the
favorite. but now wavering to his fall.
finds in his nege's sudden liking for
the .persOnable Michel excuse for plot
ting against the twain. OF course, all
OF the noble Leicester's schemes come
TO naught and Angelo and Michel are
married by royal sanction. only to be
terribly parted by the plague, seven
years after.
Much OF the story is given over TO
study OF Elizabeth and OF her grace
less lover, Leicester. This, though in
terestng enough, Is beside the point in
the advancement OF the plot Elizabeth
Is shown TO be more the woman than
the Queen IN many Of the incidents
grouped about her, this conception be-
ing rather unusual and not without its
element OF interest Curious is It, how
ever, that Parker should elect 70 fly in
the face OF tradition and speak Of the
Queens yellow hair"
BY Tar the most individual characters
n the story are not the hero and hero-
inc: the Lord Rozel and his faithful
henchman, Buonespoir, claim that dis
tinccon- In the great conceit and the
bOundless good fellowship Of this petty
seigneur OF Jersey Isle, Queens butler
By right OF inheritance and possessor of
the perquage by royal patent. Sir Gil
bert has drawn a character whim-
H-4r
Zagloba- Like the genial Polish blow
hard. Rozel Is ever ready to charm the
reader by his naive expressions Of self
assurance and his fulminations against
AL that oppose his viii. In Buonespoir
the author has created a good foil to
the drolleries OF Rozel. Also he has
made figure unique in fction-a good
pirate.
To take exception 10 a feature in the
plot on the score OF taste-why need
supplementary chapter tell Of the sad
death OF Angelo and the grief OF
Michel seven years after their train OF
adventures had eliminated in a happy
marriage? BY the title we are led to
suppose that II is ladder Of swords
that leads to the final elimination OF
the lovers happiness. When the top
rung OF this perilous ascent is permit
ted 70 the feet OF hero and heroine, is
not the aim OF the story accomplished?
The insertion of a cloud Of heavy gloom
extraneoUs TO the plot and dulling to
the Dleasurable glow Of satisfaction
felt az the ultimate development Of the
story seems in Questionable taste.
(Harper & Bros. New York; illus
trated by the Kinneys; price 81 5o.)