The San Francisco call., 1906-07-15
Isl jeunesse savait
81 vieillesse pouvait"

Ihelr new novel. II is theme any
one OF the worlds best authors might
nave elected whereon TO expend some Of
the best Of his talents, a subject in
which he might most naturally mingIe
al the wisdom OF a mature philosophy
with the passionate glow of poetic feel
ing, to make his work at once a serv-
Ice TO the world and a delight TO him
self in the process af its doing-a task
In which he might strive to make pos
sible, or at least TO approximate. that
Thing which the words of the old French
song above cited suggest is an impossi-
bility. TO wit, TO combine the powers of
youths fervent glow with the expert
ence-won wisdom Of old age.
England got this good thing from the
EgertOns some time before we are
blessed with it, but 10 us it is better
late than never. II is one of those sto-
ries which, in addition to being good
Just as plain, unvarnished tale, have
the added merit Of being constructed
with an artistic sense Of the most tell
ing and attractive way Of fixing i'm
pressiOns upon the reader. In this way
the authors Of IF Youth but Knew"
have skillfully aVailed themselves of all
the great advantage a novel has over
essays 10 make fine truths stand out
with lifelike clearness. The words of
wisdom that bear most directly on the
books theme are made 10 fall from the
lips OF an old man. a most attractive
and peculiar personality. It is this
old man. the Singer OF Youth" who
makes the mass OF 400 pages of words
really a story. II is by his portrayal
that the English authors, Egerton Cas-
lie and his wife Agnes. give evidence
that they still possess the force that
has won them distinction in the world
OF letters
This character is a wandering musi-
clan who goes by the name OF Hans
Geiger. He is man who. having failed
in the opportunity Of his own April
day-lost his youth, we might say-be-
comes the singer of youth" to others.
The scene is laid in the very arti-
fetal kingdom of Westphalia, which
Napoleon made out of a score of small
German principalities and gave to his
brother Jerome, TO reign over as very
artificial king. Hans Geiger, at this
time quite an old man, goes through
the country playing his fiddle to enter
tain the people at all the taverns and
homes which grant him hospitality, but
Notwithstanding this guise OF wander
ing musician he is an aristocrat of the
old regime. His wandering is the rest
lessness due TO a bitter tragic past.
We get the first hints Of the sadness
OF this past when he displays an in
tense interest in violets When in his
travels he comes across a bunch of
them he fondles them and sobs over
them. The reason OF this emotion is
that when the wife OF his youth was
guillotined during the French Revolu-
ton she had worn a bunch of violets
at her corsage. These violets. blood
stained, were sent TO her husband. The
double bitterness Of the recollection
OF the blOod-stained violets is because
Hans Geiger was at that time es-
tranged and separated from HIS wife
and he blanies himself for having al
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life. II was because of that mistake
he lost the glory OF his April day. To
him Il was 3 case of If youth but
knew" He believes that If his youth
had but known the value OF love as his
old age realizes IL he would have found
a way TO keep the mastery of his wife's
heart.
In his old age he finds a young man
and q young woman who are in danger
Of losing all the glory Of their youthful
joys because of an estrangement which
he feels only needs little stronger
manifestation OF love on the mans
part 10 overcome. To this end he bends
the energies OF his strange quality Of
genius, for he admires the youth and
he loves the young girl 1t is a case
in which youth knew not how to save
its own romance and old age could not
recall its own lost youth, yet because
old age preserved enough of enthusi-
OF the younger generation 1t gave its
knowledge in guardian love to be a
guide TO youths power and oppor-
tunity. That is the essential Of the
story. The old fiddler is the chief
player in the drama, the rest is all
background for the play and material
on which the genius and enthusiasm of
the old man work
Steven, the fine young man OF the
story. whom Hans Geiger saves from
losing his youth. is an Austrian noble
man, born OF an English mother. He
was well worth the saving, and Hans
Geiger guessed this at the first meet
ing, when Steven. vexed with the little
worry OF broken coach, was sitting
on z milestone. "A robin sang TO the
glowing west from the topmost branch
Of a fir tree. But he on the milestone
was blind to the gold OF the valley,
deaf 10 the gold OF the song" Then
the wandering fiddler and philosopher
begins 10 throw the spell Of his in
huence over the proud, strong and
handsome young man, and thereafter
the two were frequent companions and
had some strange adventures.
Sidonia. the lovable. childlike young
woman who Is the heroine OF the novel.
is an heiress and a Countess, but she
does not disdain TO be fast friends with
the wise and kind old fiddler. and he
daughter he would have possessed but
for the estrangement from his wife.
When Hans Geiger notices that Steven
Is blind to the charm and the worth
OF this innocent young girl and about
to become a victim to the coquetries
OF a trivial-bearted married woman he
bewails II as a case OF If youth but
knew" When this woman is pleading
with Steven TO take her away from
the husband she does not love she says:
See, how I trust you. kinsman, Only
your Protection. your escort back to
our own people. 1t is not much to
ask"
But our story-teller thought IL was
asking very much. 1T meant his whole
life, and he knew IL. But what can a
young man do with q womans arms
about him and a woman's whisper
pleading in his ear?" Exceedingly
well told is the episode of Stevens
escape from losing his youth IN q dis
graceful entanglement with this mar
ried woman. Later II is her jealous
anger and revenge that brings to pass
the estrangement between Steven and
Sidonia within an hour after he had
married her. The young man and wo-
man have no cause for separation but
that they sadly TnfsIlndersfand each