The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-27
NEW BOOKS.
the mOod OF HIs grandmother Called.

Tne HlOOU OF ISIS NsTNAnUHtbtucT Nalru'
In Mr.. Robert Hichens's story OF -Tho
Cali OF the Blood" (iiArper a brotnersl ~
havea hero who was handsome and a heroin>
who was intelligent. The author tells -
at once and frankly how old Hermions
Lester was and how she looked, He says:
Miss Lester was a woman OF 81, 5 feet ~
in height, fiat, thin, but strongly built, with
a large waist and limbs which. though Wig
orous, were rather unwieldy. Her face
was plain. The spirit was the thing with
her. An attractive force issued FROM
within, inviting inquiry and advance, IA
the fame OF a fire does playing on the
blurred glass Of a window with many flaws
in it,
On the other hand. there were no naWs
in Maurice Delary's surfaces. EmAe ArtoisI
the French novelist, who loved Hermione
intellectually, analysed Maurice's beauty
with swiftness and t~horoughness In the
moment when he FIRST set ewes on him. The
account Of what he did impressed u.s.
The three were to nave dinner together
in q London restaurant distinguished for
it's service Of Turkish coffee. Hemione
and Maurice were already seated ct table.
Emile, about TO enter. found his steps ar
rested. He stood still In the doorway
confronted by the extraordinary beauty
OF Maurice. Faculties valuable In his call
ing set themselves Immediately at work.
The story strikingly records;
Thinking with an extraordinary rapicityi
he asked himself why it was that this man
strSrk him az once a. very much hand
somer than other men with equally good
features and figures whom he had seen,
and he found at ohce b answer to his
question. II was the look Of Mercury in
him that made him beautiful, q look OF
radiant readiness for swift movement that
suggested the happy messenger poised for
fight to the gods, his mission accom- &.
plished, the expression OF an intensely
vivid activity that could be exquisitely
obedient. There was an extraordinary
fascination in il. While he gazed at Delary
he was conscious of q feeling that had some
times come upon him when he had watched
Sicilian peasant boys dancing the taran-
tella under the stars by the Ionian sea, a
feeling h a one thing in creation ought to
be immortal on earth, the passionate, leap
ing fame Of Joyous youth, physically care
less, physically rapturous, unconscious OF
death and OF decay. Delary seemed TO him
like a tarantella in repose, II such q thing
could be-"
This was a good deal to think While stand
in0 ON the restaurant door sill, but II was
not all that Emile accomplished IN the orlet
course Of that involuntary pause. Her
mione turned suddenly, and the novelist
thought further. The account continues:
when she did so he understood in the very
depths of him why such a man as Delary
attracted, must attract. such a woman as
Hermione. That which she had in the
soul Delary seemed to express in the body
sympathy, enthusiasm, swiftness, courage.
He was like a statue OF her feelings, but a
statue endowed with life. And the fact
that her physique was a sort OF contradiction
Of her inner self must make more powerful
tho charm Of a Delary for her. As Her
mione looked romd at him, turning her tall
figure rather slowly in the chair. Artois
made up his mind that she had been cap
tured by the physique Of this man.
Maurice and Hermione we're married
and went to Sicily for their honeymoon.
and the story tells what happened there.
v hat did happen will sadden the reader.
Maurice's grandmother was Italian. and
when he got 10 Sicily he felt Immediately
the influence and pressure OF his heredity.
The blood that called " a the blood Of his
grandmother. He became thoroughly Sicil-
ian. He went to see Maddalena the daugh-
ter Of an exceedingly wicked old fisherman.
while Hermione was away in Africa nursing
Emile. The CONSEQUENCES were most mourn
full. Pages Of analysis in Mr.. Hichens's
most relentless style are devoted to them.
There was no great shining. but there "
overpoweTing sorroW.