The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-21
THE CURE AND RELAPSE
OF A BRILLIANT INEBRIATE

In J. n. Beresford's story OF The
House in Demetrius Road George II.
Doran Company we have. not lu-
gubriOus and depressing. not n revolving
and uplifting. hut skilful and sharply
interesting account OF what was done
with a drunkairl. The reader is early
made to feel that something more than
pure and uneventful realism, something
more than conscientious and placid
photography. is going to be associated
with the house mentioned in the title.
The appearance Of decay and neglect
marking this house, the brown weather
stains streakng its piastered 'front.' the
Struggling array of untidy window cur
tains. the three little moribund fir trees
standing pathetically in the unshaven
front yard the loose gate creaking and
banging in the october wind-the story
lets us know that here was speCkled
bird amid its smart neighbors. AS FOR
the Demetrius road 1t was n suburban
London street terminating in the coun-
try. Passing out Of its unfinished and
chaotic end the wayfarer crossed an
ancient village common and so entered
upon purely pastoral scenes. Robin
Greg, the drunkard Of this story, once
complicated that it had taken him an
hour t. come from his Office in the heart
OF commercial. London to his home in
the ominous old house in Demetrius
road From the same old house Greg :
sister-in-law, Margaret. and his private
secretary, Martin Bond. could walk out
Of an afternoon and If there was a mist
, lose themselves in the lanes ~ rural
England
The story teller is very skilful in his
method Of making Margarets attrac-
/ tions known to US. \ little here and a
/ little there-the gradual revelation IL
uncommonly effective. We must say that
Martin Bond was rather sxtravagantiy
fascinated TO begin with. Waiting In
the queer house in the Demetrlus road
for Robin Greg 10 come home, waiting
to see II this keen drunkard wanted Il
engage him as his private secretary
! Martins eye was caught by MargaretS
/ photograph. We do not think that q
photograph often has so powerful ar
effect: let us however, have generou:
| consideration for the artistic natur,
when II Is exposed 10 storm. 1t is sale
here: "He looked at tho photogra pt
with the eye of an artist, and II pleased
him. enthralled him. He thought tina
this was at once the most beautiful an,
Intellectual facs he had ever seen. IL
could remember no ldeal!Zed portal
that had ever made so strong an appea
to him. by some lucky accident tn
mechanical process had revealed tn
mind OF this woman, he thought; an,
the very limitations OF the REPRODUCING
machinery had avoided the possible fail
ures OF the living artist. Here was no
a personality seen and charged, how
ever subtly, by another human MIND
but some glimpse OF the very womal
herself. An emotion Of worship aros
in him. He wanted to kneel before hi
presentation of beauty. He became sud
denly conscious how unworthy he wa
[ to stand before It," We were glad tina
when Margaret herself came. the req
fact and spirit in the case, Martin was
little slower In developing the emotion
! that undoubtedly were due to her. Their
! Is a very satisfying passage that tell
3 how she looked once when she wa
= dressed for dinner. The reader wi
surely he moved by what is said Of he
> shoulders,
70 II is excellent detail that pictures IA
! us the results of Robins intirmity. III
j siyness, his powers Of perception an