Evening star., 1928-10-28
REVIEWS OF AUTUMN BOOKS
English Politics In Volume of Memories Another Novel
From the Writer of Beau Geste"-An Assortment of
Fiction From Several Authors.

In a word, these say that Beau Ideal"
has lost none of the essential power of
the other two novels, while it has gained
in certain definite directions. Now,
such gain may be sourced in the au-
thor simply as a writer. 1t may be at
tributed in smaller measure to the
reader. 1t is plausible to assume that
Christopher Wren has grown handler
in this growingly familiar theme, and
heartier; that he is, by association, more
deeply inspired by it. That he is
better writer than he was at the be-
ginning Of the French Legion subject.
Why not? He should be just that. On
the other hand, there is the reader.
He, too, has been growing, book by BOOK;
better acquainted with the place and
the people and the vivid adventures
through which he follows this Beau"
and that one. He ts feeling friendly
and at home with them, looking for
ward to the coming again of one or the
other of them All this may be true
and doubtless is. But there is more
here. High and Sel1esS emprise is
stirring thing, no matter how vehem-
emily we may deny its existence. And
here is Just that kind Of adventure. A
man Joins the legion because he is bent
upon finding the lost John Geste, whose
wife loves her husband better than she
does this man who so devotedly loves
her. The evidence of such love is the
adventure itself, by way OF whose dan
gers and uncertainties and narrow eS-
canes there emerges finally the triumph
of the man who could see and think
and strive beyond his own personal de-
sireS and dreams. 1t is this theme, L
think, a theme of sympathetic treat
ment, of comprehending vision, that sets
Beau Ideal'' so high in the scale OF
general delight and approval.
THE LADY OF STAINLESS RAJ
MENT. BY Mathilde Eiker, author
of "Over the Boat-Side," etc. New
York: Doubleday, Doran & Co.
THREE novels in three years. Ma
l. thilde Eiker is on her way. A wav
that is calculated to play the devil
itself with the prepossessionS and no
tions to which the rest Of us are cling
ing for dear life. The trouble with this
girl iS--if it be a trouble-that she
looks right over the bars that have
been so carefully set up between every
person and himself for his ''own good. ="
And how she loves the adventure Of
climbing the wall 1t calls upon her
courage to do this. 1t brings out her
blithe disregard of the consequences of
clear seeing and honest opinion. SO
Mathilde Eiker is on her way, writing
novels that amaze readers and delight
the bravest of them.
Somewhere in this novel man says,
fatuously as he Is so likely to do, mo
man is worthy Of good woman!"
Now, Just what does he mean by that?
Is he talking about the intelligent
woman, one with a capacity for part
nerShip, an honest woman, one OF
charm and personality? Is he speak
ing of any other of the attributes that
constitute worthiness as the word Is gen.
orally accepted? He Is not. He is talk
ing about chastity and nothing else. Men
have been saying just that, and mean
ing just that, from time immemorial.
The woman may be simpering fool,
a liar, ball-and-chain of marital asSo-
citation, a sloven, a waster, a gossip, a
neighborhood nuisance. She may be
any or all of these and get away with
it, provided only that she be pure. This
one quality proves her worthineSs. Such
is the theme with which Mathilde Eiker
engages herself in the novel in hand.
In effect, the story Is one of illusion
with its long sequence of diSillusionment
on the part of the young man who
chose as his life partner the LADY of
stainless raiment." Just remember one
thing in reading the story. This is
no general arraignment. 1t is the
statement, the ruthless but smiling
statement, of single case which just
possibly may cover many variants of it
in the matrimonial experiment. 1t Is,
in effect, a rather grim attack upon
the untruth that assumes to support
many an honored convention. 1t is,
along its course, story of society de-
veloped competently and charmingly
by the gifted young woman who ap-
pears to have a passion for telling the
truth about life as she sees it.
X X X
THE DIAMOND ROSE MYSTERY.