Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-23
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

| The second of the series in interest
to most readers is that other monu-
mental f1ctional effort. the Marie An
toinette ron1ances. Dealing as these
books do with the French Revolution
and subsequent events, they hold pecul-
lar interest for American readers,
whose own Revolutionary War inspired
the downtrodden French people to take
matters into their own hands.
This series includes Memoirs of a
Physician" THE Queens Necklace"
"Ange Pitou" (more often called THE
Taxing of the Bastille"0. "Comtesse de
| Charney'' and lie Chevalier de Mason
Rouge" Probably no books by Dumas
are better known or loved than these
particular ones College professors,
| it makes no difference who or what one
may be, he will find hours of delightful
reading here.
The Valois romances are but three
in number, but form a trio probably as
fine in pure interest as any Dumas ever
wrote. In Marguerite de Valois, THE
Forty-Five" and La Dame de Mon
soreau" DIETER known in this country
as "Chicot the Jester') Dumas is at
his best. What more interesting char
acter was ever struck off in fiction than
the inimitable Chicot? Where will one
find better adventure than the deScrip-
lions of the brave Bussy's life and
heroic death? Where will one meet
history more entertainingly told than
in the description of the overthrow of
an army by the simple expedient of
turning the ocean loose upon the Low
Lands?
Romances of the reign of King
Henry II are THE Two Dianas," THE
Page OF the Duke of Savoy" THE
Horoscope" and The Brigand." While
distinctly not up to the standard of
those previously discussed, they are still
Dumas.
Romances of the regency and the
reign of Louis XIV include THE Cheva-
lier Ornamental" THE Regents
Daughter" and "Olympe de Cleves. "
The first of these is one of Dumas best
novels. It's title is often translated as
The Conspirators," which is rather
poor title, indeed. since 1t is too general.
''The Conspirators" might be the title
of most of Dumas, since all his char
acters conspire! 1t IS the very preat
of life of Dumas tale.
The Napoleon romances are THE
COMPANIONS of Jehu,' "The Whites and
the Blues" and THE She-Wolves of
Machecoul." The first and last of these
are what might be called in the
vernacular "knockouts." 1t has been
years since we read 1.-THE Companions
of .Jehu," but 1t makes no difference,
we remember 1t as a grand tale. The
She Wolves" has been discussed here at
length recently.
The seventh and miscellaneous sec
ton may be composed OF "Agenor de
Mauleon," "Ascanio,'' THE War OF
the Women" "Sylvandire," THE Black
Tulip" "Tales of the Caucasus,
Black" and last, but far from least,
"The Count of Monte Cristo."
Most of these stories can be purchased
at 81, although some of them come
only In higher priced editions. since the
general public seems to recognize only
what might be termed the more stand
ard titles.
Where, one may ask, can a bigger
dollars worth be found In the reading
| line than "The Conspirators"? There
is a real tale! The heroine OF that
story is one OF the finest women to be
met in bookdom. He who does not
know her has missed chance to be-
come acquainted with real girl.
The feast of Dumas Is one which ap-
peals to all tastes, which offers some
thing to satisfy every reading appetite
Among the immortal authors Alexandra
Dumas has a place