Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-17
THE LIBRARY TABLE
By she Booklover

A great modern luxury-totel becomes
living entite in Arnold Benefits
latest novel, Imperial Palace" his best,
with the exception Of ''Tne old Wives
Tale" Eienty-nve speaking characters
contribute to the personality Of this
imaginary hotel, the Imperial Palace,
Only q few Of them are visitors TO the
hotel; most Of them are the stan who
are the links in the chain Of the man
aging organization. And. as Evelyn
OrchaIfa, the director, points out to a
new member Of the staff, each link is
fastened TO the next higher link and
must not by any accident or freakish-
ness get out Of its proper place. It
would be q serious breach Of hotel
etiquette, almost Of morality, for floor
housekeeper to 60 directly to the man
Ager for advice or direction, instead Of
to me head housekeeper. Difacult as
the task would seem to be, Mr.. Bennett
has succeeded in giving TO almost every
orae Of these many characters definite
masterpiece, the panjandrur1, who
seems to others and secretly to himself
almost to be God. Cool, elegant, clear
headed, fertile in ideas, clever In han
ding people. a master Of tact, SUI
prenlely eficieI1t, ruthless at times, yet
capable Of inspiring his staff with
loyalty and energy-thiS is Evelyn
orchaf1l. Yet he Is no mere machine
He Is very human man, subject to
personal nerve irrltability, which some
times influences his actions, but which
he 1rnagir1es he conceals very well.
When his personal relations with
Oracle Savott have been particularly
exasperating and his soul is seethine
with indignation, he is most unreason-
able with his very superior secretary
Miss Cas-, but with cold polttnesE
makes it appear that she is entirely
Ia the wrong-at least he makes it
appear 50 to his own satisfaction
He is really afraid of women, SC
he pretends to himself that they are
all alike, inferior beings, whom he can
easily dominate.
Sharing interest with Evelyn Orchan1
IL the remarkable collection of person
alities In Imperial Palace" are f1r1ar1-
ciers, housekeepers, managers Of various
degrees and duties, chefs, the hotel de-
tective, the hotel publicity man, the
claanaberraaids, and, placed in a very
high light, Oracle Savott. Oracle is the
cratic, spoiled daughter Of Sir Henry
SAyott, merger king financier, who does
not know from day 10 day what he Il
worth, because 50 much of his wealth il
on paper. Oracle tries everything and
quickly exl1austs everything in her rest
less searching after new sensations. she
has been racing motorist, the author
Of risque memoirs, philanthropist in
her relations with her maid Tessa, and
is at all times complete egotist. Evelyn
calls her, to himself, a "wanton," and
with good reason. The other woman
who influences the fortunes of the I'm
Fowler, who rises from the position OF
personnel manager in the Imperial Pal
ace laundry to that Of floor housekeeper
then head housekeeper in the Imperial
Palace Hotel and finally in her upward
flight reaches still loftier heights Violet
Of lower middle class family, can hardly
be distinguished from a lady" Her
qualities impress themselves slowly but
permanently. She has all-importanI
tact, the proper amount of sympathy
and the proper amount of dignity for
every occasion, enough but not too much
personal charm, and a generous allow
arace Of faith In herself, which she pre-
vents from showing extensively by he1
efnciency, and gets things done while
others are talking about them. Violet
In her dendure but elegant black gown
as she inspects de luxe suites, linen
closets, service rooms or dictates letters
in her private sitting room, during hel
hours OF duty, which she makes very
long, Is perfectly happy When she
dresses in a Powered silk and street
outer attire and takes bus for an OBJ
scure part Of London to spend a few
Sunday hours with her parents she Is
less happy, and is always restless until
she is back at the Imperial Palace
where she is sure some need for her
guidance has arisen.
The other participants In the hote
drama at th= Imperial Palace are al
as important in their own places, anc
certainly In their own minds, as the
director or the head housekeeper. There
is Mr.. Cousin of French ancestry, but
pronouncing his name in English fash.
ion, manager Of tbs Imperial Palace
always calm and correct, respecting
Evelyn greatly but also respecting him
self and his authority. M Adolphe il
the reception manager, who never per-
H11its himself any moods, however ht
may dispise the vulgar, arrogant OF
foolish patrons who pass through the
Imperial Palace doors. Between Cap
pone, restaurant manager, and Ceria
grill room manager, there is, of course
rivalry, usually kept in a merely
smoldering condition. Rivalry there
is also between Maitre Planquet, "chei
and grand vizier of the restaurant
kitchens" who has been decorated by
the French government, and Com
mendatore Rocco, chef of the grill
kitchens. Ruffo. special banquet man
ager, sometimes comes into conflict with
CAppoH1e over the question of assign
n1ent Of walters. PeroSi, though only
head waiter Of the eight floors of the
hotel, for room service, feels that he il
indispensable and enjoys intimidatine
housekeepers, chambeTmaidS Wallets and
walters on the foors. The quarrels and
grievances Of the housekeepers would
make a small volume apart; how Miss
Bury was dismissed and transferred to
the laundry because she lost her temper
with drunken patron in the ladies'
cloak room; how Mrs. O'Riordan nursed
her secret and then enjoyed to the full
sending for Evelyn and telling him that
sl1e was reSigning as head housekeepeT
to become Lady Milligan; how Miss
Maclaren on her first day as Mrs
ORiordan's successor put a floor waiter
IN his place and made him bring to her
sitting room full tea, including bread
and butter and cakes and jam, instead
of the dry" tea allowed mere floor
hotisekeepers IN their rooms; how Miss
Venables and Miss Prentiss lost all their
specifically correct manners, through
rage and Jealousy, because first Miss
Maclareli, then. Violet, was made head
housekeeper, when each of them
thought she should have be:n chosen.
One big family are the members of the
Imperial Palace staff, loving each. other
and hating each other about as mem
bers Of real big families often do.
4
To Elizabeth Barrett, one Of the most
distressing manifestations of the pa
ternal tyranny SO rampant at so VIM