Evening star., 1956-12-30

%~NNSeAAA%t1t - ENA0eAA C1A4S 4
ptcnTeSco originated in Spain.
rogues in the United States q
somehow, even when an Amer
ican novelist tries such a book.
it seldom comes off. But here
is one that does:
COUNT ROLLER SKATES.
BY Thomas Sanction. Dou-
bleday; $685. =
This is, moreover, a first
novel.
Not that Count Roller
Skates" lacks flaws. but it holds
together. keeps the reader alb
sorbed, or did at least one
reader ! know of, and presents
a character worth meeting.
Our rogue is a man of mys-
terious background and varied
lineage who calls himself
Count Casimir Poliatoffsky.
We know him in New Orleans
in the early years of the pres
ent century.
Man of Many Talents
This count is quite a guy.
He is primarily a sailor, US
ually an assistant engineer on
a freighter. but he has many
other gifts. He is, when he feels
like working at the trade, q
machinist of rare competence.
He is at home in four or five
languages. He is an athlete,
and emerges from most brawls
leaving the other participants
on the floor. He has been in
show business, and is a roller
skating virtuoSo. He has an
occult and erudite side, and
can quote from the classics all
day. He can sell himself when
ever he cares to try, especially
to women.
He describes himself, with a
deprecating shrug. as the scion
of one of the oldest families
of the Polish aristocracy. So
far as we ever learn, his father
was Polish, his mother a Gen.
tral American Indian.
We meet him when a Ship
mate takes him home to din
ner at a house of shabby re-
spectability. The shipmate's
family has seen better days
and is much impressed with the
count, all but the old man. a
political hangeron who is turn
key at the city Jail. and who
promptly pegs the visitor as a
phony. Most impressed is
Hilda. the prettiest daughter,
who has rejected a number of
suitorS, is considered cold"
and is all of 23-practically an
old maid. Hilda falls hard and
so does the count. In time they
are married, despite the vio-
lent opposition of her family.
Apparently the count, despite
his rowing ways and liking for
profitable short cuts. makes a
real effort to settle down.
When his son is born, he feels
he is really caught, but he
works on regularly as a mas
ter machinist. But this can't
last. There are several insist
ent calls which the count can
not choose but hear-the sea
and show business in partic-
ular. He makes two forays
into show business. both dis
astrous. Hilda's love turns
largely to venom. and she can
tell off her complex and tall
ented husband as no one else
ever dared. And you wonder,
as time goes on. how long their
marriage can last.
Dubious Characters
The count is as engaging a
fraud-and not altogether a
fraud--as you'd want to know.
And through him we meet a
whole coterie of dubious char
acters in one Of the city's less
palatable faubourgs-the Great
Orsini, a magician retired
from the big time: Hester NAL
lory. who does a daring horse
diving act In the carnivals; Few
Clothes Stagney. a colored rag
time pianist; others. We visit
Bessie Beckley's famous bor-
dello. meet some crooked po-
Icemen, witness some first
rate brawls.
Despite the books preoccu-
patton with such characters,
despite its rabelaisian over
tones, 1t is tactfully recorded
and should not offend anyone,
except. perhaps. the most
morally squeamish. It cannot
be said that Mr.. Sanction CLAM
orizes sin; rather the contrary.
The book. like so many
novels these days, is much
longer than 1t need have been.
The author is inclined to over
write, TO splash on color with a
shovel instead of a brush.
Count Roller Skates" is. ney-
ertheless. a verv amusing story
and a cree "'ievement.
Years in .xIIe