The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-23
"Anlalia"
By CONSTANCE MURRAY GREENE

BY CONSTANCE MURRAY GREENE
IHALIA looks in its outer trappings
IL a little like a second -Four Horse
men Of the Apocalypse, but develops upon
further investigation 10 be translation by
Mary Serrano of what has long been con-
sidered the finest historical novel of South
American hterature--a romance Of the
Argentine in the time of Rosas the Dicta-
tor. 1t opens with the delightful regard
for detail characteristic Of its period. "On
the night Of the Alb of May, 1910, at half
past ten o'clock, party of six men might
be seen crossing the inner courtyard Of a
small house in the Gale De Belgrano in
the city of Buenos Ayres." If Jose Mdrmol
had said merely, "On May evening in the
time Of Rosas the Dictator" shocking
majority of his North American readers in
the year 1919 would have been completely
alta loss. As it is We are able to proceed
in fairly intelligent frame Of mind with
the exceedingly Interesting events Of the
live months which our novel covers.
BY this tune you will see that A,nalia
will cause no such excitement as has at
tended The -Four HOrSemeH Your dent
ist will not question You regarding it as
he crashes into Your teeth nor your char
woman leave off charming to debate its
points. Ii is, however, the first adequate
translation Of sound piece of historical
writing, a thing that should have existed
such years ago as TO be taken now as
tardy matter of course
Jose Marmol writes of the Political
struggles of his time from passionately
full heart, having languished himself in the
prisons of the willy and powerful Rosas
His book concerns Amalia, the brave and
beautiful widowed girl, less than ii does
Daniel Bcllo the son of Federalist Gen.
eral, who stroye TO keep alive the spirit of
the UnitarimS within the city of Buenos
Ayres until the Army Of Liberators should
arrive TO overthrow Rosas and the LOYAL
lists. AmalIa, indeed, is more or less a
fixture, the sort of heroine described as
having habitual smile. MarmoI has
used her TO typify all that was brave and
lovely in the Argentine women of his day
and to play Juliet to Eduardo Belgrano's
Romeo. Eduardo belonged to the party
Of six encountered in the opening sentence
and, shortly after, wounded and bleeding,
was carried by Bello to the house Of
Amalia for refuge. The others of the party
were killed as they attempted escape to
the advancing army of Lberalists and it
is doubtful if Eduardo would have chosen
escape could he have known what trials
awaited him before his final downfall.
Not the least interesting feature Of the
book is the light thrown upon the South
American impression of North American
manners, evidenced by Marmol's descrip-
tion of the United States Consul as re-
ceiving formal callers Lying on a horse
hair sofa without waistcoat, cravat or
boots" There is something particularly
vicious about the fact that the sofa was
of horsehair! And to render matters
worse, after making "a fine speech of pro-
lection" what did the Consul do but lie
down again Every uneeremoniously." 70
gods! What people we are Only Vaehel
Lindsay in chant could give this act its
full measure of villainy.
AMALIA. BY JOSE MARMoI. Z. p. Dutton
& Co 80