The New York herald., 1922-03-26

On thinking over the book one sees
how actually impossible it would
have been for any one but an artist
OF the first rank to tell the tale from
the viewpoint of Teresa consid-
eraticn which may be noted without
entering into the question OF Mr..
Harrison's talent. The effect. any
way. secured by making the view
point kfasury's practically through
out. has this superb advantage: 1t
puts upon the reader the exquisite
burden of 4 penetration of Teresa
in advance of Masary's: it appeals
constantly and excitingly to the
readers Imagination to appraise
Just the moment when Teresa began
to love Dean Masury and to follow
the invasion OF ber consciousness by
the knowledge OF that love. More
over. il makes possible the whole
456 pages without one word OF love
between these two persons. without
the intrusion OF the thought OF love.
or anything at least like its clear
recognition In the consciousness Of
Masury 1T all. Not word about
love in the book. as Masury's room
mate. the irresistible George. would.
eKclaim in hurt disappointment And
if. after mature reflection. the reader
shall decide that the moment when
Teresa "feu In love" with Masury
was the moment when she first set
eyes on him. why. Mr.. Harrison
offers nothing fatty contradictory.
Is there something Of caution here?
Psychology is a subject less easily
mastered even in its superficialities
than expert Office management. of
which Mr.. Harrison sTnatters so well.
There Is no evidence. however. on
which to accuse the novelist OF a
prime evasion. He can. at most. only
be suspected of having taken the
shade less difficult way.
The way he has taken is beset with
difficulties serious enough for a noy-
eIist who has been damned for a
sentimentalist. The strict avoidance
OF sentimentality through saint
Teresa" even in the depletion Of
such a character as Lucy f7anner.
Masury's friend. who also happened
to love him. is in itself no small
feat. The mere choice Of such a
heroine rs Teresa DeSilYer is a
much more substantial token OF Mr..
Harrison's purpose TO run the CANT
let OF critics and readers. Among the
nearly half a million purchasers of
.Queed" and ". VS. Eyes" and
"Angeiina's Business were 434.sSii
women, whose reaction 10 the nine
teenth chapter Of ''Saint Teresa
despite the war. Freud and recent
noYels-WiH be one Of shocked dis
gust. They win allow no excuses to
be found for Teresa DcSilTer. and
they will accept no explanations OF
her conduct. biological or otherwise.
To them q young woman cutting n
man vita a knife and biting clean
through his trespassing under lip
SO as to mark him for life will be a
creature without a name and with
out the faintest extenuation. And
the fact that they are wrong will
make not the slightest difference,
since 10 them their wrongness viii
be unprovable.
or course, conceived as Mr. Har-
rison conceives her. the terrible
TERESA. far from being excommu-
nicable from the human race. is a
regular event. She lives and moves
among Is in much tie same way
that she lived and moved in those
centuries by some called the Dark
Ages and by others considered, in
comparison with the present day.
very well illuminated indeed Mr
Harrison seems in one or two places
(but perhaps the nisconception is
on the part Of his characters, to in
dlcate the nuns of medieval history
IS sexless ascetlcs. II Is. perhaps.
worth pointing out that they were
actually quite the contrary: far from
being seNless they were. for the most
part, oyersesed; and their aseeucism
q this world was merely q swoonins
/ remuneration 70 make them worthy
to IL the bride If Christ. CFor the