The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-19
Shadows Indeed

An accuracy that ia not to be questioned
marks the title of Reginald j. Farrer's
story Of The House OF Shadows CLong-
mans, Green & Coz. Seldom have we
wandered among more shadows in a house
or in a story. Tempest Iadon's young and
loyelyItalian wife died with a most disturb
ing secret locked. Unhappily it was also
locked in the form of letters in a pretty
box with PAINTED sides that cruel ciroum-
stance compelled her to bequeath TO her
husband. There is a lingering chapter
relating the details Of Mrs. Iadon's death.
Repeatedly her discretion threatened to
, leave her and she was seized with the desire
TO cry out her secret. She did indeed cry
out the name "M~aleagro." but Mr.. Laden
remembered that this was her cousin, and
he was not jealous.
The ale changes to a time twenty-five
wears later. Mr.. Laden had lived during
that period with his son in the house Of
shadows. He never went out, never re-
| oeived visitors. The house, a ma gnifioent
place in Yorkshire, was splendidly kept
IN with silent, impressive servants and all
the other fine things that the rich and the
ancient Of descent may have, but the shadows
law thick. Mr.. Ladon suffered from severe
MAINS III llb ledu' lip "aS ANoo tiiiA
could not sleep nights. AS If matters were
not already bad enough, the son, at the age
| of rs, went on o visit to London and brought
home a wife. The shadows grew thicker.
The beautiful young daughter-in-law
shivered as she walke along the hall that
was furnished with marble statues Of the
Cesars. A dreadful complication developed.
| Mr.. Laden loved cats. Young Mrs. Laden
had a nervous horror of them. There
were many cats in the house of shadows.
| Once Mrs. Laden saw a Siamese kitten
about to enter the house from a window
ledge, and closed the window against It..
It was found frozen to death in the morning
Mr.. Laden overwhelmed the guilty woman
with his bitter sarcasms. He never for
gave her.
The pains In Mr.. Ladon's head grew
worse. A famous authority looked him
over and told him that his trouble was
sarcoma. He would probably live for a
year, with increasing pains. Sarcoma was
hereditary. Doubtless that was what allied
his father, who committed suicide. A niece
of Mr.. Ladon, a beautiful young woman
who was about to be married, learned OF
the hereditary nature Of tumor Of the brain
and also committed suicide. She had had
headaches and felt herself doomed. Mr..
Ladon was religious after a fashion. He
neld to the orthodox view that there is q
place of everlasting torment for sinners
and that a man who takes life will go there
He invented a dreadful scheme by which
| his daughter-in-law should be punished
and he should be saved. He ingeniously
arranged matters so that she was forced to
give him poison. Before he died he opened
the pretty box containing his wife's letters
his lovely wife whose memory he had wor-
shipped for nearly thirty years. Alas for
the final shadow! His wife had been faith
less. She had loved her cousin Maleagro.
The son whom he adored was illegitimate.
Inasmuch as he was illegitimate he could
not inherit, should the facts become known.
They did not become known. Tho daugh-
| ter-in-law saw to that. The letters were
burned and Maleagro's son became master
of the house of shadows, to which he was
very much attached.
There is a good deal Of excellent work
in the story, but hardly enough to Offset
the q~ueernesses. The shadows are too
thick TO bC d~issipated.