The Washington herald., 1917-05-15
THE Lifted Veil"

Admirers OF Mr.. Basil Kings work
look forward TO the appearance Of a new
literary event His latest novel, The
Lifted VEIL" recently published by Hsr-
pers. justihes this anticipation. II will
probably be agreed that Mr.. King has
here reached the high-wster mark OF his
art. We might dwell upon the graphic
quality Of its pictures Of New York So
ciety, upon its characters warm with life,
Its dramatic Incidents. the ingenious
complications and surprises Of the plot,
and upon its sufIicing evidence OF the
authors possession Of the gift Of the
born story-teller. But, in Mr.. Kings
work. these things may be taken for
granted. and We turn our attention else
where-to the theme of this book and TO
the arresting situation at the heart OF II.
The Rev. Arthur Bainbridge, assistant
rector Of one OF New York's fashionable
churches. is visited by a woman whose
identity is concealed by a heavy veil and
who confesses to him that she was for q
time the mistress Of one Of his own clos
est friends. Later, he meets a charming
woman OF wealth and position-Clorinda
Is her name-and becomes engaged to
her. He discovers, after Clorinda has
accepted him, that she and the veiled
penitent are one and the same person,
but. shocked and dismayed as he is, love
and duty still keep him true to her. From
the moment OF this discovery Bainbridg ge
is distracted by problems. spiritual and
social, that are poignantly and peculiarly
distressing to a man OF his cloth.
As for Clorinda, while still young and
a stranger to love, has been left a rich
widow by the death OF the elderly man to
whom her family had married her. Her
heart, though touched by earlier suitors.
first went out to the friend Of Balm
BRIDGES Of whom we have spozen-s
flame which time and conscience COM
bined TO extinEuish, only TO leave her
life empty and her spirit adrift. II was
at this crisis Of her life that she met
cambridge and made him the physician
of her soul. Here was a type OF man
quite new to her-as ardent in his way
as she in hers. and with something OF the
sanity and other-worldly about him.
When, knowing her past, he still begged
her to be his wife, she accepted. Offering
in return for his love, devotion, gratitude
and reverence.
As an engaged man Bainbridge found
wormwood in what should have been a
cup Of unmiKed happiness. and Difficult
ties and notifications at every turn
He could not fancy the elegant and
worldly woman OF his heart busy with
his guilds and missionary meetings and
submissive to the long-drawn boredom
OF parish duties. And more. the breath
Of scandal had blown upon her and cou-
pied her name with his friend. "A great
lover" Clorinda had called herself Would
not a great love like his MI her heart
and prove her redemption? Or would her
love for him fail to stand the wear and
tear Of familiar fretting circumstance?
Here is the harassinE quandary. kept
ceaselessly before the readers OF this
novel, that throughout draws deep upon
his sympathy.
With rare sinEleness Of artistic purpose
the novel holds fast to this theme. VIII
love harmonic incompatibiIities. or will
the pair embark upon a matrimonial voy-
age only TO meet storm and shipwreck?
This question is answered in The Iifted
Veil" with clear logic and relentless
truth