The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-26
THE BISHOPS sCAPEGoAT. BY II
y. Clegg. John Lane Company, OF
ia West Thirty-second Street,
New York. publishers. $1.50.

i y
b. Clegg. John Lane Company, OF
ia West Thirty-second Street,
New York, publishers. $3.50.
This is a remarkable book, the plot
and It's unraveling being alike unusu-
ally interesting. The opening chapter
describes the tineventful flow of vicar
age life in parish of rural England
with the Rev. Frank Perivale as q
central figure OF Importance, and for
environment the fourteenth century
church, with It's ancient gravestones
and it's rose covered lych-gate.
The vicar makes the acquaintance
Of the reader as he is taking his early
morning walk In the summer of the
year THE day is young. the earth
beautiful, and the vicar at peace with
all mankind"
And yet before the walk is finished
the first link In train OF circum-
stances leading up to the final tragedy
of the book is forged, The vicar meets
the postman, receives from him for
elgn letter that in It's results alters
the whole course OF an after life.
The letter is from the Marquis de
Remusat, French ndventurer of rank,
who years before had married the
wears sister and nearly broken her
heart. The vicar rescued her finally
and brought her back to England. As
her young life after her fathers death
had passed in France, her unhappy
marriage there remained secret, and
she lives near her brother In England
as maiden lady OF comfortable means
and philanthropic tendencies.
TO return to the foreign letter. 1t
is an appeal to the Marqulse Remusat
from her former husband telling her
Of his illness and destitution. and beg
ging his wife to come to him as to
a dying man. The wife announces
to the vicar. her brother, that che
must go to Paris and to her husband
in his extremity. The vicar goes with
her. When they arrive In tho dis
reputable quarter indicated by the
Marquis as his residence, they find his
Illness to be ruse. He threatens the
vicar and attempts to get his wife in
his power by force. struggle fol-
lows, and the vicar becomes so en-
ragged that. In the end. he leaves the
room with his sister believing the Mar
auis to be dead as the result OF his
violence.
He watches the papers for some
days, but as tho death notice of the
Marquis appears under one of his
many aliases, the wears mind Is re-
lieved OF the fear that It will be
necessary for him to confess his con-
nection with 1t.
He and his sister return to England
and to their homes. They keep their
secret, but 1t weighs on the minds OF
both, and after awhile the vicar
through his wife.s entreaties to heI
uncle. Is appointed bishop of Capri
cornia, in Australia. and. breaking old
ties, goes with his sister, his wife and
his son. Edric, to a new country. AT.
fer awhile his wife dies and his sor
goes into business. Then his sister
comes to manage the bishops house.
hold. Neither of the two can ever BIZ
what they were on the long ago morn
ing in England when the foreign let.
ter came but they each have worl
ment.
Had they known what really hap.
pened in the room where they left the
supposedly dead body OF the Marqut.
Remusat. how different even thu.
measurably peaceful existence would
be. For after the wife and hel
brother had stolen away French
physician. DR.. Edward Bertrand, OF
whom the Marquis Remusat had cru
ely preyed for years came to hi
room.
He found tho Marquis still breath
ing. and had he exerted the skill HI
possessed as physician he might hav
saved a life. Regarding the dyint
man. however, as wholly bad, DR.. Der
trand let him die, first possessing him
self of letters and papers, which h
burned.
He was seen leaving the room, fol
lowed, arrested. convicted and con
demned to lIfe-long imprisonment Il
penal settlement at Noumea, in TIL
South Pacific, for crime which h
did not absolutely commit, but 70
which he held himself morally respon
sible. He is THE Bishops scapeEoat.
Tho romance Of the book eliminate
in the meeting Of the bishop and Dr.
Bertrand at the death-bed OF the lat
ter. and the bishops confession mad
there, The bishops son. Edric. mar
ries DR. Bertrand's daughter, Cecilt
and so fate is appeased.
The description Of the miseries Q
prison life at Naumea and Of the re
volt of the canaques is graphic |
the extreme. So Is that of the escap
of the prisoners and their voyage in
sail-boat to Queensland. Indeed, tn
entire book is full Of dramatic an
sustained interest that renders til
story thoroughly attractive.
THE DAUGHTER. By constane
Smedley Moffat. Yard & Con
pany. of New York, publisher
$3.50.
The scene Of this book Is laid
England during the present suffragett
movement.
If the sprightly Della had not bee
uomentarily bitten with this fad, 81