The San Francisco call., 1905-03-26

so much Of compelling charm that
concerning Lady Kitty's drift into
sin we feel we might join in
with her faithful Christian friend. Dean
Winston. in beseeching her husband u
separate himself IN dealing with il
from the mere weight Of social ira
6iion," and to be great hearted
enough, and deeply thoughtful and
eagerly earnest enough. TO find some
way 10 handle il with an ethical
originality" The case was so special,
both II its personality and its circum-
stance that the moral law which con-
serves society seems naturally TO be-
come null in the presence Of a higher
law, the law Of forgiveness. which the
Dean insisted on for Christ, his mas
rer's sake.
While this Christian friend was
pleading with Ashe TO give his wife
that very limited forgiveness which
was all she asked. Lady Tranmore
enters. and when the Dean sees mother
and son together-the mother leaning
on the sons arm-he realized all the
strength Of the social ideas which they
represented" Temporarily, al least.
he knew he had failed. Dear friend,
she said. with the melancholy smile
which lent stiu further beauty TO the
refined austerity OF her face, these
things seem possible 10 you because
you are the soul Of goodness
The fact that the story OF Lady Kitty
Bristol Is closely analogous 10 the his
rory Of Lady Caroline Lambs affair
with Lord Byron was called attention
70 while the novel was in serial form.
but that scandal could only have sug-
Fesred the outlines Of Mrs. Wards
fiction. and the similarity in no way
lessons our interest in Lady Kitty as
her own creation. We refuse 70 recog-
nize Lord Byron in the poet, Cliffe and
William Ashes wife would never have
been 50 silly as Caroline Lamb was
when she wanted 10 dance with lame
man. and ate glass because ne would
NOT Try 70 glide thus with her into
double folly. Kitty's story is Of more
consequence than Caroline's, and II is
better 10 consider her interesting and
instructive case with our docile atten-
tion unadulterated by the revival Of
an old and silly scandal So let Us dofr
aside the story about a story. and en-
f0v Mrs Wards artistic work, not as
q rehssh OF diguised history, but as
fiction in fact, and entirely novel
II is the woman in the story who in
terests US most. but We have 70 con-
sider the men 10 some extent II only
N order 10 try 70 comprehend the
woman. and why she made Of her life
the wreck il came 70. The two men
Who mainly influenced her career-her
husband. and the man who made her
uEfsirhfui wife are worth reading
about only as subsidiary 10 the study
q Kitty Il IS on her that the gifted
authOrsss has laEished her powers OF
making Us follow her thought and feel
ing. She presents Cliffe. the man who
misled her. as q modern determinist
for which type there is no responsible
ftv. He waits on life, following
where il leads. rejoicing in each new
feeling, each fresh reaction Of con-
sciousness on experience, and so links
MS fatalist belief 20 that Nietzsche
doctrine Of acknowledgment at all
costs.
To make the story OF the misleading
OF a woman as fine as Kitty convincing
10 our IMAGINATION there is required
some strength OF effort in portrayal OF
the man capable Of both the weakness
and the evil strength 10 make her folly
fatal Mrs Ward has given US in Cliffe
& man who would have been all made
Quate but for The combination Of cir
cumstances by which the powers Of
evil seemed 10 abet his schemes He
was so distinctly a lesser man than
Ashe ze wonder at the woman's be-
clouded brain that failed even for an
hour 10 know it. This is not 10 say
n fr1l
with an art up 10 the standard Of the
high literary rank she holds II is
Kitty's temperament she is studying
as the cause OF the failure Of the mar
rage OF William Ashe-that and the
peculiarities of the noble character of
her husband. which yet by mistaken
pride and fatal oversight made possible
Kitty's error. These are the main
things; Clife is but subordinate cause
70 them-the demon in the pit that's
always provided for the weak willed
and the morally blind.
Cliffe is a traveller, an artist. a poet
and q soldier. Here is the way in which
he tried 10 justify himself for the un-
happiness he brought into Kitty's life.
Il is a sample OF the authors powers in
the psychological part Of her art: After
her husbands first shock Of wrath and
pain, then there would come a sense OF
deIiversnce. For her, too, deliver
ancei Il excited this artists sense 10
think Of all the further developments
through which he might carry that
eager, plastic nature. There would be
new Kitty, with new capacities and
powers He felt himself sculptor in
the very substance Of life, molding a
living creature afresh, disengaging il
from harsh and hindering conditions.
What was there vile in that2
Little. delicate, distinguished thing
every aspect Of her, angry or sweet.
sad or willfuI, delighted his taste and
sense. Moreover she was his deliver
snce. too-from an ugly ENHANCEMENT
If which ne was ashamed"
In describing Kitty's husband Mrs.
II ard is. Of course, in the element
where her capacities are most at home,