The New York herald., 1921-08-28

, VINO became KIM OF IOStcT ldLilcI'
He was always running away. A
woman attracted him, and he followed
her. in the guise of interpreter, into
the encourage OF a childlike and
luxury loving raJah. who first made
him a favorite and then abandoned
him.
Once more the foster father tried
70 help Raphael by sending him to
school. OF course the wild boy was
bored with so tame a life. He pro-
foundly despised the men whom his
teachers called great-Turenne, La
voisier. Moliere, Pasteur-all incapable
OF making money. He showed his
superior gifts by selling forbidden
books to his comrades. for which he
was finally expelled.
Then came the darkest period or
his life. He lived from hand to mouth
till he was forced TO take a sudden
passage for America to escape the
police. Soon after his arrival in the
New World he met a fantastic revolu-
tionary, who took a liking to him,
adopted him and associated him with
his vast projects. Raphael repaid this
confidence by seducing his benefactor's
two daughters
His treason being discovered. he fed
again In the midst of a burlesque
revolution. At this turn he rejoined
his sister, who had become wander
ing dancer. The two drifted to Paris,
a new world yet to be conquered
Raphael never doubted his own power
to do anything he chose. No sue
cession of unfortunate incidents"
could shake hts perfect assurance.
That is one of the touches of art by
which the author wins a precarious
sympathy for his hero. And the
angelic Archange becomes a new
resource.
At Paris Raphael summons, rather
cavalierly. two Of his former school
mates whose names he has noted In
the news-Ballure, a Socialist leader,
and the Due de Luxent. flower of the
old French nobility. The Duke falls
in love with Archange.
Everything turns well for the ad
venturer. He becomes translator for
an important journal. Then by prom
is.ng introductions TO his sister he OBJ
tanned from Russian commissioners
important contracts for munitions. BY
these he was in a fair way to become
a millionaire.
The goal Is in sight. But one thing
fills him with a gnawing anxiety. 1t
Is the talk Of war-and that uncertain
list of alien enemies He fears that
he is not quite French enough to es-
cape arrest But he doesn't want to
be French enough to fight. II he were
only allied to an old family He begs
his sister to marry the Duke. But in
those hours when one breathed hero
ism the little dancer finally rebelled
against the ignominy OF her brothers
plans. Besides, she loved the Duke
and despised the thought OF a mar
riage Of calculation. The book ends
In her burst OF despair-a tempest OF
revolt.
The reader Is left in midair. as It
were. But another volume is an
nounced, which will effect, no doubt.
landing, 1t Is to be called. la
| Guerre, La Paix ct Gatouna," no smari
theme.
In this first volume we have the
/
relief, an odd branch OF the profiteer-
Ing family which did wonders in the
rear while others fought II Is a por-
trait of an arrogant figure. at once
clever and stupid, sufficient and
utterly unable to comprehend the peo-
| pie whose money he takes. He Is
totally immoral, a man without a
country or fireside or family. The
author presents him with smiling dis
dain.
But the book does not owe all its
interest to its central figure. There
are scenes Of joyous fantasy or high
humor. The revolution In I'll Dorado
is an entertaining operette. One can
not afford TO miss the terrible Sefior
Elemento de las Andas Y Morales G
Mesquita das Pesticor, with his saluta-
tions to the imperishable memory Of
the national hero Cortevar and his
presentation Of Santa Cruz 10 his fol-
lower
Behold the glories Of FL Dorado,
This gigantic thoroughfare between
the Senate and the Presidential man
sion Is the avenue Of May 8. marking
the victory OF Cortevar over the Span.
iards. To the right the avenue OF De
cember IL. when Cortevar defeated tn,
Caribbean Indians; to the left that OF
March %. when Cortevar ovcrcame the
BraziIians. Hold those dates fast II
you memory. They are the worlds
greatest days!"
The book Is rich In varied character
tudies, from the South American CHIEF
70 he superb French Duke. whose die
tinction disturbed even the perennial
assurance Of Raphael Gatouna. Ant
there are gentler passages in the mar.
rative Of brother and sister-ln then
childhood and in their sea wanderings
Archange Is an exquisite figure oi
tenderness.
The essential virtue OF the book Is
It's atmosphere OF tolerant good humor
without such relief the principal theme
would have been too sombre, too re-
pellart. Indeed there are moments
when the reader IS on the point Of
hurting the volume out the window a.
he fain would cast out all the Raphael
| Eatounac from tho world they still