The Washington herald., 1909-06-27
REVIEWS OF NEW BOOKS.


Mr. Terreve IN his title asks a ques-
uon-whether because he is himself i'm
bued with uncertainty as to his hero 5
moral status or because he expects his
reader to be so, we do not pretend 10
say. For ourselves, we confess TO being
not altogether sure what was the guiding
principle in the case Of Arson Van An
holts actions Anholt is in his own pc
euliar way a Jean Vatican. Americanized
and brought up 20 date. We have seen
It stated IN truth that Mr.. Terreve has
entered into the heritage OF Victor Hugo.
Having served a term in prison for the
commission of a crime that was induced
by desperation and want, Anholt returns
10 the light of the world and strives TO
gain an honorable place among his fell
lows
Like Vatican. he encounters an arch
enemy. or rather two arch enemies, who
seek 10 the very end TO bring about his
downfall. Doubtless Withers the an
cient bigOt. and Dublediehi. the English
adventurer (who betrays his nativity by
what the author conceives TO be the un-
mistakable mark of a Britisher. the ex-
preston, Right you are') )-eoubtless
they both had excellent motives. accord
ing to their lights, for their persecution
Of the hero, though these motives do not
very clearly appear. Javert pursued VAL
jean because Javert represented the maj
esty Of the law; that was the breath Of
his life, and Vatican had transgressed
against the law. But why Dublediehl and
Withers, after Anholt had ceased to be
an obstacle IN their paths. should have
followed him with their enmity into q
small Western town, whittier he had gone
IN a final effort 10 repair his fortunes.
and how Dublediehl and Wfthers came to
unite their forces, anyway, IS left to the
imagination Of the reader. However. they
did SO. but Auholt exposed them as liars
and thieves and murderers before the as
sembled people Of the town, voluntarily
revealed the story of his past life. and
was triumphantly elected mayor.
Thus Anholt left OF where Valjean be-
gan. for here the story ends. and very
happily. as needs must in these days
Presumably, the remainder Of his life was
felicitOus and Undisturbed by echoes
sounding from the past-all because, as
the author assures US in pointing the
moral OF his tale he had made a clean
breast OF his sin before his fellows. We
gather from this that had AnhoIt. on be-
ing released from prison and going to
New York. proclaimed from the house
tops that he was an eX-cOnvict. Instead OF
keeping his secret locked up in his breast,
he would not have suffered the vicissi-
tudes which subsequently befen him. and
the Vaccinations CT his enemies would
have been IN vain.
To return 10 Anholt's principle, or lack
of H. though the reader is assured al
the outset that the hero had eyes such
as men are taught 70 look for only where
clean, unsulhed conscience reigns;" yet
he did not hesitate to lay a wager on
what is known TO the gambling fraternity
as sure thing which he himself had
Cagain TO borrow the language Of the
world Of SPORT framed up" The very
laUdable end he had in view by no means
lessened the measure Of an Offense which
is an objectionable crime even in the
moral code OF the low brow" And. while
later on Anholt rises 20 dizzy heights Of
Quixotic self-sacrifce lest there be ques-
ton OF his honor. one really cannot be-
lieve IN him; one is tempted 10 regard
The rest as a palpable fairy tale. and 10
esteem Anholt in his inmost soul. a thor
oUghgOing and altogether contemplate
rogue, who ought never 10 have been re-
leased from prison, even though he does
address edifying sOlilOquies TO the picture
OF his absent wife and call upon his God
70 witness the writings Of his tortured
souI.
Besides the three persons whom we
have mentioned other characters are an
amiable minister of rather shadowy out
line; a gambler whose preternatural calm
no extraordinary circumstance can ruffie:
q philanthropic gentleman, likewise vague
and indistinct, who befriends the hero;
a young tough, product OF the New York
els
takes his own life. and Marie Won Bon
horst. woman who has been betrayed
and deserted Marie calls first upon God
and then upon Satan 20 bring her face 10
face with the father Of her child. Later
her supplication is answered, and she
meets the man stabs him 10 the heart,
and then plunges the dripping blade into
her own breast. Mr.. Terreve has spared
US none OF the sOrdid details OF what the
newspapers would doubtless call a double
tragedy. giving even a Photographic pro-
ductiOn Of the words. He IS the man."
written In the life blood Of the victim
Of mans perfidy
A number Of pages are taken I'D with
conversational discussions Of political and
social questions, some OF them not un-
Interesting and showing a marked ear
nestness Of purpose and depth OF thought
IN the author There is also letter en-
bodying a Utopian scheme for codifying
society into classes-inteuectual power 20
be the test Of a mans eligibility for
particular class Also the author gives
US glimpses. more or less vivid. into the
life Of the New York Lower East Side,
the workings OF high finance, and the
methods Of the Salvation Army.
Of the authors style. It may be said
that II IS fluent rather than graceful;
that II Is sometimes lacking in correct
ness; that there is an entire absence OF
the literary beauties. light touches, and
natural humor which one expects from
the novelist We should say that Mr.
Terreve Is a student OF sociology rather
than novelist, and that the essay rather
than fiction would be the appropriate me-
dium for the exploiting Of his theories.
lie is essentially didactic and has evi-
IDENTIFY never taken to heart Thomas
Hardy's dictum that ''the novel is an i'm
preston, not an argument"
THE WHITE NICE. BY Richard Harding Davis.
New York: Charles Scribncr's Sons Washing
ton: Brentano's.
The accepted locale for a Richard Hard
ing Davis novel ever since the delightful
soldiers OF Fortune" is South America.
As there is always something happening
down there among our Latin-American
brethren, it looks as though the novelist,
who is familiar with the ways and the
manners OF the people. had his work
pretty well laid out in advance. The
changing OF name or two TO prevent
offense. and the introduction of the
proper modicum OF sentimental interest,
usually embracing folks from the United
States who mostly have no business .on
the scene az ali. and the thing is done.
The White Mice is a secret organi-