Evening star., 1937-09-22
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
AT LAST THE TaI,AND nv Moruare
BY MARGARET GERMOND.

combining an assortment of Odd-caste
characters in story that involves no
grave issues save the common expert
ences of human relationships. "At Last
the Island" is a better story than its
predecessor, stronger and more firmly
integrated and exhibiting gentle
humor that holds promise of increased
charm in later publications.
The story revolves around Russell
Murray, man who in this country
would be classified as the tag-end rem
nant of broken down aristocracy. He
is a writer by profession, with un-
bounded faith in his own greatness. BY
nature he is lazy, but, like most people
who expect to pluck fame from the low
est limb Of a-nearby tree. he attributes
his inability to stick to the job of writ
ing to the numerous Interruptions that
accompany life without riches in Lon
donor in any populated area. His
desire to go into exile on a remote
island in the Mediterranean is merely an
excuse for pampering his own vanity
and escaping his creditors.
This elegant gentleman is, of course,
pompous fool, incapable of friendly
companionship or of interest in any
problems save those that interfere with
his own comfort. He entertains a mild
affection for his nearly grown son, prod
uct of an alliance with neurotic wom-
an who committed suicide while he was
doing war service, and he is In love
with his own stomach. He married his
housekeeper, widow with two children,
when after years of faithful, efficient
service with which he could find no
fault he became obcessed with the fear
that she might some day leave his
her was based purely on appreciation
of his house.
AS for Masie, few illusions are left
after the first shock Of realization that
neither love nor companionship were
to be shares in her second marriage
She is splendid woman, wholesome
and amenable to development as a gra-
cious, charming wife, but beyond en-
joyment of her cooking, Russell Muir
ray, author of unpayable debts as well
as of doubtful literature, is not inter-
ested. The death of Masie's sickly son
leaves him only her little girl to dislike
and ignore. Nigel. his own son, heartily
despises little Emily and despite all of
Masie's endeavors to be motherly toward
him, his neurotic inheritance keeps him
aleof and unfriendly.
Coming into the household in London
as guest-lodger just before the move
to La Grimaudiere's isolated solitude
actually gets under way is Cornelia
Paule, daughter of an old acquaintance.
She is in London seeking work as an
artist and at one of Russell's famous
feasts she meets Tom Willett, editor of
publication that goes in heavily for
appeal to the great middle class. Will
lett also is something of an agitator
against the social order and is con-
stantly being tailed by kindly officer
of the peace.
Wiflett's marriage Is almost as in
congruous as Murray's. He married an
Austrian girl who appealed to his chiv-
airy when her lover deserted her at a
critical time. The difference is that
the marriage was based upon kindly
understanding and sympathy and has
proved to be satisfactory and success
full. Cornelia appeals to him for job
as illustrator, and when put to the
test she proves only fairly capable.
The important thing is that she falls
in love with Willett, becomes acquainted
with his family, recognizes the fact that
she has no business to have hand in
disrupting an apparently ideal arrange
ment and decides to fade from the pic
ture in order to maintain happiness for
every one except herself.
Meantime she has found lodging quar-
ters to take the place Of the homelike as
sociation with Russell Murrays family
But on the eve of their departure for the
beautiful Mediterranean island the bail
ifs arrive to seize most of the property
or collect in cash, and the move is
Indefinitely postponed. Everything is
unpacked and the household settles in
for the duration of the debt-paying
ordeal For Russell it is an occasion for
the display of all of the bombastc
arrogance of which he Is capable. For
Masie it is an occasion for shame and
humiliation.
Family life is too uncertain to permit
Cornelia to return to the Murrays and
the misfortune of her love for Tom Will
lett makes it impossible for her to be
content anywhere. Occasional visits
with Masie reveal some startling dis
closures concerning Masie's private af-
fairs, while the enmity between little
Emily and Nigel grows stronger. Event
ually the debts are paid-that is to the
original creditOrs-and the island para
disc becomes once more the center OF
interest to Russell The move is made
and this time Cornelia accompanies
the family into exile. She does not
want to 60, but it means definite separa-
ton from the temptation to communi-
cate with the man she thinks she has
no right to love.
The island at last is reached. Peace
isolation, contentment? Not for a mo-
ment. Each one of this odd assortment
OF men and women knows that these
desirable elements of human happiness
can never be acquired by running away
from difficulties. Yet it Is through the
comedies and tragedies that result from
their efforts to separate themselves from
the sources of disturbance and disrup-
ton that they learn the age-old lesson
that the secret OF wisdom Is honesty
and candor.
In the working out of the complexities
that engulf this queer assortment of
people Miss Lane has kept to the fine
point of discriminate Characterization
and has told an entertaining, whole
some story of everyday life in London S
subliterary circle that wins immediate
appreciation. 1t Is skilfully done in a
style that holds the attention from
first to last.
The book has won warm praise from
the English critics, who have placed
its author upon the roster Of those whose
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